Entanglement
by Shiko-Rae
Summary: Sweet Swap Gift Unfortunately, Caroline Forbes had one Niklaus Mikaelson as her soulmate, and no amount of advanced warning could really prepare her. Unfortunately for Niklaus Mikaelson, no one saw fit to warn him of the force of nature that was his soulmate.
1. Chapter 1

_October 8, 1995 _

Bill Forbes banged on the solid oak of the door in front of him.

"Sheila! Sheila!" He bellowed, knowing his increasing volume would help little beyond making him feel better.

The door suddenly swung open, the stoic form of the eldest Bennett witch in the doorway. Her age was only belied by the slightest of wrinkles at the corners of her mouth and eyes. Said eyes were dark and cold as the woman regarded the man before her, his cheeks flushed with exertion and temper.

"William," she intoned.

His lip twitched.

"Have you reconsidered your decision?" Bill managed to keep his tone relatively flat despite the emotions raging within him.

She tilted her chin. "No. The wise, witches especially, know better than to get involved in vampire business."

A snarl crossed his face. "This isn't _vampire business_! This is _my daughter_!"

His voice cracked on the last words and her countenance softened ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry, Bill, I'm sure she'll be a sweet girl, but with those words on her chest...vampire business."

He just shook his head, ashamed and angered by her callousness. "You stand there on your high horse, so assured of your superiority. And in one breath you condemn my daughter." He ran a hand through his hair and let out an aggravated exhale, more growl than sigh. "You know, Sheila, I respected you. Admired the type of woman I thought you were, one who didn't hesitate to take in her granddaughter and raise her. One who helped protect this town from unspeakable threats. And yet here you are. ...I _know _my daughter would grow up to be sweet. Lovely. Intelligent. Fierce. And thanks to _you, _Sheila. She never will."

Bill shook his head and turned away.

* * *

_October 10, 1995 _

Caroline woke screaming in her bed, tiny limbs tangled in her sheets. She was senseless to it, her mind still flooded with visions of so much red and so much hurt. Her tummy twisted within her and she couldn't breathe. Sad, mad, scared. She felt them all and more. Everything hurt so much.

_Why couldn't she breathe?! _

"Caroline! Caroline! Honey!"

Caroline gasped a breath, hiccuping. That was Daddy's voice. She felt a hand on her shoulder. _Mommy?_

"Mommy? Daddy?" Her voice shook and her cheeks were wet, but Mommy and Daddy made everything hurt a little less.

"Yes, sweetie, we're here." Mommy's fingers were soft and warm on her cheeks as she dried her tears and pulled out the yucky hair she felt in her mouth.

Caroline jumped up wanting to be closer to Mommy. She hugged her, pulling at the soft cloth of Mommy's dress and held on as tightly as she could. Mommy was soft and warm and smelled good. Rubbing her cheeks into the dress felt nice, and more of the red and hurt left.

"Shhh. It's okay." She felt Mommy's arms around her and she felt safe. It was nice, the hand she felt rubbing her head and back, the back and forth rocking as Mommy held her.

A larger, equally warm hand settled on her back. Daddy. She felt when his arms went around her too, as he held both her and Mommy. It was even warmer and safer. No more red. No more hurt.

* * *

Bill and Liz were relieved when their daughter drifted off into a quiet slumber. They remained for several more moments, cramped and awkwardly curled around Caroline on her tiny bed, waiting to see if the visions would return.

Thankfully they didn't, and both gingerly rose from the bed, making sure they didn't rouse Caroline from her well deserved rest. Liz gently re-tucked the covers, smoothing out the wrinkles with trembling fingers and laid a kiss on her daughter's brow. Bill bent down to retrieve a fallen teddy bear, snuggling its soft form against Caroline's head and shoulder, laying his own kiss on the girl's hair.

As one, the two turned to set hard eyes on the woman loitering in their bedroom doorway. The woman seemed to be bracing herself with the door-frame, her fingers clawed and white against the wood. Neither Forbes spoke, having long said all they could to the woman. They let the weight of their glares and judgement speak for itself and waited to see if their gambit would pay off.

"B-Bill, Liz, I-" The woman swallowed thickly as she cut off, unsure what she could even say. It was one thing to suspect or even be told what was happening to Caroline. It was quite another to see it. See how even placing the child where she should be safest, tucked into her bed in her parent's room, did little to dull her torment. See how a small, innocent three-year-old thrashed and writhed and _screamed _as if she were dying.

The woman half-stumbled into the room to stand beside the bed. Looking down she could make out the streaks of dried tears, the puffiness beneath her eyes. The little girl's face was swollen from crying and from exhaustion. She flinched and couldn't help but picture a different little girl, one with darker skin and hair. She knew that she wouldn't be able to bear it if it were Bonnie in Caroline's place.

Involuntarily, her eyes drifted to the girl's chest, to the spot where she knew that beneath blankets and cloth laid a damning soulmark. Her breath rattled in her chest as she inhaled a fortifying breath. Straightening up, the woman turned to look at Bill and Liz, knew her eyes were glassy with guilt and regret.

"I-I'm sorry." Seeing their forms tense, she rushed to reassure them as remorse clawed at her stomach. "I'm sorry it took me this long to help."

* * *

_January 19, 2000_

Her fork scraped against porcelain as Caroline flicked around a clump of now cold scrambled egg. It was the lone piece left on her plate beside toast crumbs and tiny flecks of yellow-white. She could feel her mom's eyes on her, but she knew the sheriff was a patient woman. Her mom could wait for her to speak up about what was clearly bothering her.

Biting her lip, Caroline wondered how she could phrase her question. It seemed so crazy and random. Flicking her eyes up from her plate, the blonde continued to absently fiddle with her fork.

"Mom?"

The older blonde lowered the newspaper in her hands. "What is it, Caroline?"

"Have um, have you ever heard of d-dames blanches?" Her tongue stumbled over the foreign words of her dream.

"Where did you hear that?" The question unexpectedly came from behind her, Dad's voice sounding sharper than usual.

She twisted to look up at him.

"My dream?" She half-asked a bit taken aback by his tone and the odd expression on his face.

She watched as he seemed to sag a bit, and he rubbed a tired hand down his face.

"Dad?" She started to rise from her seat, concern blossoming in her chest, but he just waved her back. He walked over to the table and sat, more collapsing than lowering himself into the chair. Her mom set down the newspaper, shifting concerned eyes between her husband and her daughter.

"Why don't you tell us about your dreams, okay?"

Caroline shifted in her seat, unsure where all this tension was coming from. She licked her suddenly dry lips, letting her eyes linger on her dad's face, though her mom had asked the question.

"Well…"

And she told them.

How it all started with an odd boy in her dreams.

* * *

_May 16, 1998_

Caroline beamed as she looked around, eyes taking in the explosion of colors. Wildflowers rustled as a breeze swept through the clearing and she giggled as the plants tickled the exposed skin of her arms and legs.

Throwing her arms out, Caroline spun in delight, the skirt of her dress twirling around with her.

A sudden voice called out to her, startling her. She frowned (pouted) angrily from where she had fallen in the grass, rubbing at her sore butt and turning her gaze to the source of the voice.

It was a blonde haired boy.

She stood with a huff, planting her hands on her hips. "Meanie! Didn't your Mommy ever teach you not to scare people?"

The boy just blinked at her, before opening his mouth to say something back.

This time it was Caroline who blinked, having not understood a word he had said. Her stance relaxed in her confusion, and she cocked her head.

"What are you saying?!" She finally yelled feeling a bit frustrated as the boy continued to say _something _to her.

He backed up, startled by her shouting, and she softened, feeling a little bad for scaring him too.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she stepped closer, extending her hand to shake his. It would only be polite, just like Mommy taught her.

The boy looked at her weirdly, but reached out his own hand. He gripped just below her elbow, which was odd, but Caroline shrugged and went with it, wrapping her own fingers around his arm.

With her free hand she pointed to herself. "Car-o-line."

He seemed to get it as he repeated it back to her before resting his own hand on his chest. "Nikulás." 1

* * *

_April 29, 1999_

Caroline giggled as she ran threw the forest, listening for footsteps. She muffled her gasp as she heard rustling from her left and quickly ducked behind a tree to the right. Holding her breath, she strained her ears to catch the sound of an approach, but the woods were quiet.

"I found you!"

Caroline screeched in surprise and offense as Nik appeared out of _nowhere _and half tackled her to ground.

He laughed from above her as she scowled and puffed out a breath. She swatted at him, annoyed.

"Alright, alright. Get off me!"

He snickered one last time, but obeyed and stood up, extending a hand to her.

She glared, but begrudgingly accepted the gesture, letting him pull her to her feet.

"I demand a rematch!"

* * *

"Wait," her mom held up a hand, her newspaper dangling largely forgotten in the other, and interrupted her babbling about how she and Nik met. "What does this have to do with Dames Blanches?"

"I was getting there!"

Caroline wilted a little as both her parents leveled reprimanding looks in her direction.

"Sorry, but I thought you wanted to know the backstory too. You're the ones who always say the full story is important!"

"That's true, honey, but if you could tell us the Dames Blanches part first and then come back to this?"

"Fine," Caroline muttered a little sulkily, having been enjoying getting the opportunity to talk about Nik with someone.

* * *

_January 17, 2000_

Caroline huffed, crossing her arms and legs as she floated in the sky. These were her least favorite dreams. She couldn't interact with anyone, couldn't touch or speak to them. And they didn't seem able to see, hear, or touch her either. The few times she had tried she had fallen through them like some kind of ghost. It was rather annoying!

Still, Caroline could admire the pretty blonde woman that sometimes appeared in these dreams. This time she was wearing an elegant white gown as she stood by the side of a bridge. There was a taller blonde man standing in front of her. As he looked down at her, he muttered something too quietly for Caroline to hear.

Floating closer, she watched as the man turned to peer over his shoulder. He turned back to the woman.

"Essayez de ne pas faire trop de gâchis, ma sœur." 2

Caroline grumbled. She really hated these dreams. Why couldn't they just speak English?! Learning one language to talk with Nik was quite enough, thank you very much! (Who was she kidding, though? She knew she would run to the library when she woke up to find language dictionaries and try to parse out what was said.)

In a blur, the man vanished from sight just as a carriage appeared in the distance, and just as quickly the blonde woman's face shifted from looking annoyed to looking worried.

When the carriage finally arrived at the bridge where she was standing, a well dressed gentleman stepped out.

"Pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle. Est-ce que vous allez bien? Où sont vos gardiens?" 3

Caroline watched, unsurprised, as the woman's eyes seemed to shift oddly a smile curling across her face. The ghost dreams always followed the same set off people (creatures?) and their more odd traits had long ceased to unnerve her.

"Oh, je vais bien. Je cherche juste un gentleman avec qui danser. Voulez-vous danser avec moi, _mon seigneur_?" 4

Although, she couldn't understand a word, Caroline still had the sense the other blonde was mocking the man. And said man look oddly pale and fearful, though he stumbled forward to take the blonde's extended hand.

"Mon Dieu. C'est vrai. Dames Blanches." 5

The two swirled around the bridge in a mockery of an elegant waltz. The steps were perfect to Caroline's untrained eyes, but the man still looked pale and horrified. And it seemed to be the blonde leading the dance.

The woman leaned closer, her eyes darkening as black veins crawled down her face, fangs appearing in her mouth.

"Non, je suis quelque chose de bien pire." 6

* * *

_Harpa __7 __981 AD _

Nikulás had been startled by the strange blonde girl that had appeared in his dreams a few moons ago. She seemed to babble nonsense when she first appeared, though it didn't take him too long to teach her some of his own language. Though he did often have to suppress his laughter at her accent. The one time he didn't quite manage she had smacked him for it. Which was deserved, he supposed.

Still, thanks to her regular appearances, he had gotten quite good at noticing when he was dreaming. Like he was right now.

The clearing they always seemed to start in looked as calm and bright as ever. And although he looked around, he couldn't spot his new friend anywhere so he settled down to wait.

"Got you!" A voice shouted in his ear as small arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind. He tumbled sideways with a soft _oomph _from the unexpected weight. It didn't really hurt though and any lingering pain quickly dissolved in light of her giggles.

He turned to playfully scowl up at her which didn't dim the beaming smile spread across her face. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Hah! Pay back!"

Cracking a smile, he gently pushed the girl back a bit so he could sit up.

"Such a fierce shield maiden, Karoline." 8 He was mostly teasing and he laughed when she scrunched up her nose at him.

Though she shook it off quickly and leapt to her feet, pulling him with her.

"Tag you're it!" She shouted before sprinting off into the woods.

Karoline could still startle him with her bursts of energy and it took him a second to take off after her.

"That was a dirty trick!"

* * *

_August 30, 2014 _

Klaus opened his eyes slowly, staring up at his ceiling in vague puzzlement. He wasn't sure why he suddenly had such a vivid recollection of his boyhood. After all, Karoline hadn't truly been in his thoughts in centuries.

Oh, he had long figured out she was his soulmate. They were one of the rare few connected to each other with multiple tethers to his dismay. Though even he wasn't sure how dream sharing worked through time.

His thoughts were disrupted as soft fingers traced circles on his chest.

"Hmm, you're up already?" A woman's voice cooed.

Klaus felt a flash of annoyance. He had been in a rather celebratory mood last night after word of a doppelgänger reached his ears and he had picked up several women and a few men for blood and sex. High off his pending success he hadn't even drained whichever one he last took to bed. Something he planned to rectify.

Not dignifying her words with a response he wrapped a hand around her neck, tugging her throat to his lips. The start of her moan quickly died into a strangled scream, his fangs piercing deeply as he silenced his interruption.

He carelessly flung the corpse from his bed, catching the slight trickle of blood from his lips with his thumb. At least his palate had still been intact last night, as her blood was quite delicious.

* * *

_August 30, 2014 _

"Are you sure about this, Gorgeous?" The man watched, eyes filled with traces of concern as they tracked the pacing of their blonde friend.

"When else am I going to have a guaranteed meeting with my soulmate? It's a miracle that I heard anything at all about his movements."

"Well…" Caroline whirled and jabbed a warning finger in the man's direction.

"Shut it, Enzo! You know why I won't use the bond."

Enzo lifted his arms in surrender, unfazed by her outburst. Stepping closer he rested his hands on her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze.

"Relax, Gorgeous. You've planned this extensively." His lip quirked. "I'm sure your backup plans have backup plans."

A little bit of tension bled away at Enzo's teasing. It was true, she really did have plans A-F. And G-K just to be safe. However, confronting someone like Klaus over the doppelgänger ...it was daring to say the least. But Bonnie was her friend. One of her best friends. So, while Caroline didn't care much for Elena, Bonnie did, and that was enough for her. Besides using a clueless young woman as your army creating blood bag was pretty abhorrent, regardless of Caroline's personal feelings.

She shook her head, refocusing her thoughts on her plans.

"Right, let's head over to Bonnie's."

* * *

_August 31, 2014 _

"Hey, thanks for inviting me, Caroline." Elena tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know we haven't really gotten along in the past."

Caroline gave an easy half-shrug. "Yeah, of course, you're Bonnie's friend too. We can be adults about this even if we never become friends."

Elena offered a little smile and a nod before ducking further into the house.

* * *

Elena snorted, her drink probably stinging painfully as it almost came out her nose.

"Stop! Stop!" She laughed. "Tell me you didn't?"

Caroline smirked into the rim of her glass, pausing dramatically as she took a sip.

"Oh, _I did_."

The brunette parted her lips, about to demand details, when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Elena shouted, already on her feet and heading down the stairs. "I'm grilling you when I get back though!"

Caroline and Bonnie exchanged pointed looks, both listening to Elena's receding footsteps. Considering the handy alert wards Bonnie had on her house, they knew it wasn't their pizza at the door. They nodded to each other.

Show time.

Determination filled the witch's eyes as she quietly slipped down the stairs after her friend. Caroline held back. It wouldn't be wise to show all their cards, so while she flitted down the stairs as well, she blurred to a hidden vantage point in the kitchen.

There was a crinkle of bills as the door swung open.

"Hey, thanks for- oh, sorry you're not the delivery man. Um, are you a friend of Bonnie's?"

"I am actually, may I come in?" The voice was male and British, which admittedly took her aback. She had heard it shaped by Old Norse, French, Italian, and several dozen more languages. But rarely had she heard him speak English. She supposed she understood why he picked it though, villains, rather unfairly, often came with enticing accents.

"Oh, um yeah, come in."

"Elena don-!" That was Bonnie, playing her part flawlessly. So far, so good.

"Bonnie, what's going on?" Caroline could hear the trepidation in Elena's voice and she tensed in preparation.

"Well, I've been invited in. Thank you, Elena." The British voice practically purred and Caroline had to shove down an involuntary shiver. _God, not the time! _

Her vampiric senses easily caught the ensuing scuffle. There was a sound of rustling and rapid movement as well as a grunt of pain.

"Elena, get behind me!"

"A Bennett witch," she head the man hiss. Although she knew Bonnie was purposefully holding back for the sake of the plan, the vampire was still recovering rapidly. A feminine yelp of pain reached her ears and she figured that was her cue.

In a blur, Caroline rushed between Elena and the intruder, taking advantage of his surprise to remove his grip on Elena's arm.

She regarded the man before her, with his golden curls and crystalline blue eyes. His seemingly angelic features complete with a pair of dimples and everything. She looked at this creature and knew. Knew he was a nightmare masquerading as a dream.

This was Klaus.

Her soulmate.

And he only further proved it when his eyes darkened, a smirk curling across his lips though there was nothing pleasant about it. Every inch of him promised pain as he eyed her and Bonnie in turn.

Her trips with her father to hunt, rumors through the supernatural grapevine they all taught her about this Klaus, the monster. Her dreams taught her of Klaus the man.

And she realized it hurt a little as she took in the arrogant twist of his lips, the devilish glint in his eyes, the lack of recognition in his gaze. He was taught nothing of her. She was just another stranger. Worse, an insignificant obstacle as far as he was concerned.

"My name is Klaus. Perhaps, you've heard of me?"

Caroline felt the burn of the words on her chest and cut off whatever threat was sure to follow. She looked him dead in the eye.

"I know who you are."

* * *

Klaus smirked a bit amused as his Lexus ES9 passed the _Welcome to Mystic Falls sign_. He can admit that he laughed when the witch tracked his latest doppelgänger's location. Gods were no longer things he believed in but if they did exist, then at least they had a sense of humor.

Although, he didn't know what to expect seeing as he hadn't stepped foot in his birthplace since the day he left it centuries ago. But it was doubtful he was missing much based on the population count. And indeed, the actual town was small and quaint; it didn't take him much longer than ten minutes to pull up to the correct house.

Said house was as equally small and quaint as the rest of the town, and his keen senses picked up the sounds of his doppelgänger's voice in the house. She sounded a little tipsy if he wasn't mistaken which really made everything much easier. She was practically gift wrapped for him.

Sauntering up the front steps, he pressed the doorbell, listening with mounting anticipation as his doppelgänger offered to open the door.

A few moments later the girl pulled the door open, several bills in her hand. Evidently she was expecting someone else, takeout judging from her little spiel. He wasn't paying much attention to her words, distracted by the perfect mirror image she was of Katerina and Tatia before her. 500 years and at last his latest doppelgänger was in his grasp.

"-are you a friend of Bonnie's?"

He took the presented opportunity, smiling in a hopefully innocent fashion as he blatantly lied.

"I am actually, may I come in?"

Amusingly, no one had informed this girl of the supernatural or even just basic personal safety as she barely hesitated to extend an invitation. A subtle check of the threshold revealed the barrier was indeed down, and he waltzed across it without issue.

One of the other girls rounded the corner just as he entered the house, a warning on her lips. One that came far too late.

The room's new addition shot daggers at him with her eyes. Paired with the magical aura that surrounded her, he easily concluded she was a witch. One with a much better idea of what he was than his poor, confused doppelgänger.

"Bonnie, what's going on?" As much as he hated to admit it, Katerina was intelligent and cunning. Something the latest edition clearly lacked, as she only now seemed to pick up on the tension.

He smirked down at the girl, reveling in the blooming fear he could see in her eyes.

"Well, I've been invited in. Thank you, Elena."

He reached for his doppelgänger, while his eyes remained locked on the witch, silently daring her to interfere.

Which she did.

Typical.

The aneurysm she inflicted was impressively painful, though not the worst he'd faced. But he reacted just enough for the witch to herd his doppelgänger behind her and out of his immediate reach.

The gesture would be admirable if it weren't vexing.

"A Bennett witch," he acknowledged, wondering how much of a fight she would put up.

Unfortunately for them his speed alone allowed him to slip through her guard, snatching his doppelgänger by the arm. The girl yelped in pain or alarm, he neither knew nor cared for yet another decided to interfere.

The last of the voices he had overheard apparently belonged to a vampire, made evident when a blonde suddenly appeared, rushing between him and his doppelgänger.

He was amused by their daring, a baby vampire and a baby Bennett witch defying him, The Original Hybrid. But since he was in such a magnanimous mood today, he would give them one chance to rethink their actions before he tore them apart for their insolence.

The violence he was known for shone in his eyes, and he gazed at each of them allowing them to witness it for themselves.

"My name is Klaus." He absorbed their reactions, a bit surprised that recognition shone in both their eyes. Apparently, his legend had spread even farther than he expected. A dark smirk curled on his lips at the thought. "Perhaps, you've heard of me?"

The audacious blonde stepped _toward _him, her blue eyes burning.

"I know who you are."

Thoughts of the doppelgänger actually escaped him as he processed the burn of the words scrawled across his back.

Well, that changed things.

* * *

_February 27, 2009 _

Caroline tottered in her five inch stilettos, swaying awkwardly as she staggered down the dark street. She came to a stop at a light-post, where she leaned against the cool metal. It felt soothing against her heated skin and it also made an excellent brace as she bent over to rub at her sore calves and ankles.

She was still fiddling with the straps of her shoes, debating whether it was worth it to remove them, when a voice addressed her.

"A bit too much to drink, eh?"

Caroline straightened to take in the owner of the voice, shifting her weight a little. The man had shaggy black hair and icy blue eyes, nothing about him particularly noteworthy one way or the other. Though she would say he was moderately attractive if asked. Still, there was something about his eyes and smile that seemed mocking, malicious even.

Holding up a hand and pinching her fingers together, Caroline giggled. "Only a bit."

The man took a step closer.

"Well, why don't I walk you home?"

Caroline tilted her head, brow scrunching in thought. "Oh, I don't know...Daddy, said never go home with strangers."

The man sneered apparently fed up with her antics. "Hmm, you should listen to Daddy, little girl."

In a blur of speed, he closed the small gap between them. His hands reached for her ass beneath her skirt, his fingers harsh as he groped her. Their gazes locked and she watched his pupils dilate.

_"Don't scream. You will obey my every order."_

Caroline let her features turn blank as disgust settled in her stomach. She parted her lips as if she were about to repeat the orders, but instead threw her weight backward and out of his hold. Moving with the force, Caroline spun to keep the momentum and swept the vampire's feet out from under him.

He was startled, but his features quickly shifted into a snarl, fangs and veins bared. He lunged a second time, but it was predictable. Stance firm, Caroline targeted his knee cap with the deceivingly strong point of her heel, the combined forces breaking it easily.

The vampire fell again with a howl, apparently not used to pain. Wasting no time, Caroline took ruthless advantage as she pulled out the stake holstered on her upper thigh. In one smooth, swift motion she stabbed it between the 4th and 5th rib just as she was taught. The body shriveled and greyed as expected, and Caroline let out a breath at the successful blow.

* * *

_March 6, 2009_

Bill sat stoically, fingers laced on the table. The blond across from him looked up from the video footage captured via a hacked street camera. Footage now carefully altered of course.

"It was certainly impressive, William. Your daughter takes after you I suppose?"

Bill nodded, allowing a hint of pride to shine through. "She does indeed."

The other man drummed his fingers on the wood in thought. After a few more moments, the man nodded to himself.

"Well, I supposed I should welcome her to Augustine then."

Mission accomplished, Bill stood and extended his hand to the other man.

"Thank you for your time, Dr. Maxfield."

* * *

_June 3, 2009_

"Caroline, you've been one of our most effective agents. Truly, you do the Forbes name proud."

Caroline offered a small smile, proud of what she'd accomplished even if the compliment was coming from Maxfield. He'd been perfectly genial to her, but she couldn't help the odd vibes she got from him and she had long learned to trust her instincts. Still, her mother didn't raise her to be rude.

"Thank you."

Standing from his desk, the man walked around it to half-sit half-lean on the edge in front of her.

"So I think it's time I showed you the true purpose of Augustine."

Caroline quirked a brow, hiding the way alarm bells rang in her head.

"True purpose?"

Rising again, the man gestured for her to follow him.

* * *

Caroline kept her face carefully stoic as she absorbed what was before her. The room Maxfield had taken her to was an underground laboratory. In its center a metal examination table stood, the walls lined with cabinets and shelves filled with various tools. She didn't focus too much on those, more concerned with the man bound to the table.

Metal shackles encircled his wrists, ankles and neck. IV drips were inserted in both of his arms, and she was a bit startled to note that they both looked like they contained blood rather than the usual saline solution.

Caroline half-turned to face Maxfield, making sure her tone was level.

"What is this?"

More animated than she had ever seen him, Maxfield all but pranced forward, spreading his arms like a showman as he boasted, "_This _is the true Augustine! And _this_," the man maneuvered a bit closer to his captive, "is subject 12144."

"A vampire." Tone flat, it wasn't really a question. But even if she was wrong, she would be equally appalled if the man ended up being a human, wolf, or witch.

"Of course." The man had the nerve to sound vaguely offended. "The research generated is invaluable. The advances in human medicine and weapons against vampires? They're countless, thanks to this."

Caroline stepped closer, eyes flicking down to look at the captive vampire. She carefully didn't react as his eyes caught hers, the hatred emanating from them palpable. Frankly, it was justified.

Looking up again at Maxfield, she found the mania in his eyes to be much more disturbing. Deciding to get to the heart of the matter, Caroline latched onto something Maxfield had said earlier.

"12144? There are others?"

The man sighed, crossing his arms in disappointment. "There _were_. Unfortunately, none have been as durable as 12144. Sixty years ago, we also suffered a terrible blow when the facilities went up in flames. At least one escaped while the rest burned, except for 12144 here."

Caroline pursed her lips, eyes drifting to the IV bags filled with blood. "You lace it with vervain," she realized.

"Clever girl!" Maxfield was once more filled with inappropriate glee. "Yes, I don't want him desiccated at the moment, but we can't have him strong enough to escape either. And it's actually more vervain than it is blood, 12144 has gained quite the resistance unfortunately."

Caroline debated her options. Licking her lips, she asked one last question.

"Seems like a large operation. Surely you must have help between your work here and your teaching duties?"

Maxfield shook his head. "Unfortunately, I've had to cut back since there _hasn't_ been anyone else to help me with it. That's where I'm hoping you will come in actually, Caroline."

"I assure you I will be very helpful." A smile on her face, Maxfield didn't register anything wrong until his vision went black and his consciousness left him.

Turning her attention to the vampire, Caroline took a moment to thank the universe that someone else also believed in clear labeling. Dropping the syringe she had palmed, she asked, "Do you know where he kept the regular blood bags?"

The suspicion in vampire's gaze was understandable, but he answered all the same, wariness lacing his tone. "The cabinet on the far left wall."

Caroline nodded. She removed the vervained blood from their lines before doing the same with the needles. Although she tried to do it as carefully as possible she was still glad vampire healing would negate any problems that could arise from doing it wrong. That done, she turned to examined the cabinets on the left side of the room. Maxfield's labeling again came in handy and Caroline easily found the cooled storage of blood bags.

Returning with an armful, she set them down and dug out her phone.

It rang. Once. Twice.

"Hey, Dad, I'm going to need your help."

* * *

Caroline surveyed the lab while she waited for her dad to arrive, her lips curling with revulsion as most of the cabinets revealed numerous instruments of torture. The computer files were a bit more interesting, revealing some admittedly fascinating findings. And if she hadn't known how they were obtained she would be more impressed.

Circling back around the room, she kneeled by Maxfield's slumped body and tested his pulse. Based on his thorough notes, it didn't seem like she would need to re-inject him anytime soon, but she prepared another syringe just in case.

Throughout all of this, she could feel the eyes of the vampire on her as she moved about. She had figured out the table could be maneuvered to allow him to sit up, and the man took full advantage of the opportunity to scrutinize her every action.

"Planning to take over from our _dear friend _Maxfield after all?"

It was the first time he had spoken since she asked about the blood bags, bags she had set in an ice bucket bar the single one she had given him. It was a gamble, as she was uncertain how much strength he could scrounge from even just one bag, but he had looked near grey before she handed it over. Torture wasn't something she was ready to abide so she had to take her chances.

With that in mind, their gazes were equally wary when she turned to regard him. "Not at all," she declared, tone firm and steady. "However, I'm also not an idiot. I'm one semi-trained human against a weakened, but desperate vampire. That's a bit too much of a wild card for my tastes."

Something like bitter approval flashed in his eyes as he fell silent once more.

* * *

"You have a knack for getting into trouble."

Caroline startled slightly at the sound of her dad's voice having not heard his approach at all. She turned to face him, absently noting that the vampire already had his eyes trained on the doorway. Her stomach twisted as she noted her dad looked disturbed as he surveyed the room, but not surprised.

"Wait, did you _know _about this?!" She withheld a wince at the pitch she reached by the end of the question, the answer far too important.

Her dad grimaced. "Care…"

Incredulity and shame competed for being the forerunner of her emotions as she stomped forward and jabbed her finger into her dad's chest. Repeatedly.

"Um, no, 'Care' is _not _the correct response. It's a yes or no question. Did. You. Know?" Caroline stared her dad down, noting the apparent turmoil in his eyes. The man sighed.

"I had my suspicions, Caroline. But did I _know_? I didn't."

She processed his answer, not sure how she felt about his "suspicions".

"Well, this is nice and all, but if someone is interested in releasing me anytime soon…" The vampire drawled from behind them, interrupting their little standoff.

Caroline turned to face him again, a bit sheepish that she had shuffled him to the back of her mind.

"Right…"

* * *

_June 4, 2009_

Caroline had never felt more awkward at her own dinner table as the dark haired vampire eyed her suspiciously from across it. Her eyes darted around the room, landing on his heterochromatic pair before looking away again.

He had reluctantly introduced himself as Enzo after she had freed him. Considering how he seemed to be withholding a twitch every time she used his name, she had to assume he only gave it her so she wouldn't address him by a number.

See, calling her dad ultimately ended in calling Sheila and reinforcing the protective magics over the Forbes family. Which led, to her dad's not so hidden dismay, to her freeing Enzo who then proceeded to follow them home.

"Ummm, so why did you come here? Surely you'd rather be off enjoying your newfound freedom?" Caroline waved her arm trying to encompass a general sense of everything. "I mean, I've never really been anywhere, but if I had been trapped for decades on end, the first thing I would do is book it for the other side of the world."

Enzo's expression had smoothed out during her awkward attempt to break the silence, looking a bit amused which she bristled at.

"Noted. I'll be sure to book your trip should I ever need to break you out of somewhere." His expression grew more solemn. "And _that's _why I'm here. You broke me out of that hell hole and I pay my debts."

Caroline blinked in surprise, not really having expected that answer though maybe she should have. Older vampires came with codes of honor? Who knew. Although, her expression turned wry as she informed him, "Yeah, I don't know how the whole 'vampire sticking around idea' is going to fly with my dad."

"Oh, it just barely gets off the ground."

This time Caroline didn't startle, having heard her dad's footsteps. He stood behind her, hands resting on the back of her chair as he stared down the vampire across from her.

"Enzo, was it?" He paused knowing full well it was, making sure he had the vampire's attention. "My daughter can be too kind for her own good so until your debt is paid you're going to watch her back." Caroline opened her mouth to object, but her dad anticipated it, squeezing her shoulder and giving her a warning look. She crossed her arms and sat back, waiting to see what he would say. "And should you need some added incentive…" A folder slapped onto the table, sliding across the smooth wood finish to Enzo. "I had some contacts track down the rest of Augustine."

Barely refraining from gaping, Caroline darted her eyes between Enzo and his immediate perusal of the folder and her dad's face. He still looked cold as he regarded the vampire, but also triumphant. Turning, the man moved to exit throwing one last parting remark as he left.

"And just a reminder, there's some ownership paperwork, witches, and an _arsenal _all waiting in the wings should you step a toe out of line."

* * *

"No way! He said that?" The other girl looked shocked, but also a bit impressed. Her eyebrows raised and green eyes a tad wider.

Caroline nodded from her position sprawled in one of the beanbags.

The girl whistled in response. "Damn, your dad's a badass."

Caroline snorted with laughter, appreciating Bonnie's frankness after her strange day. "Yeah, he kinda is."

* * *

_June 13, 2009_

Bonnie scowled, kicking at a small rock in front of her and sending it flying.

_"Your _dad's a badass and mine's a deadbeat."

Caroline watched on in concern, biting her lip as she struggled with what to say. She wasn't one to offer empty platitudes, and Bonnie wasn't one to accept such things either. Mystic Falls was a _small_ town that really embraced the stereotypes, so it was a bit of an open secret that Bonnie's dad had never been the greatest, flitting in and out of her life after her mother absconded. Still, she wondered what he must have done to warrant such a strong reaction, since, as infuriating as it was, Bonnie had grown fairly inoculated to her father's shitty parenting.

"What has he done this time?"

It seemed impossible for the other girl's scowl to get any deeper, but she managed. "He _left_," she hissed.

Caroline waited for the rest of the story, as leaving was the guy's MO.

Bonnie's rage melted into despair, tears beading at the corner of her eyes. "He left," she repeated, voice breaking. "And he's not coming back this time."

Shock washed through her, for all that she thought poorly of Bonnie's father, somehow she still thought he wouldn't go that last extra step, wouldn't actually cut Bonnie out of his life.

"None of his things are here anymore. What he couldn't put in his car he had shipped. He's really _gone_, Care."

* * *

Caroline laid on her side, a thin sheet haphazardly draped across her in deference to the summer weather, the warm heat of her friend beside her.

Ben & Jerry's, some smuggled Captain Morgan, and mindless gossip was exactly the remedy Bonnie had needed. A throwback to their old slumber parties with the handy edition of alcohol. Something familiar. Something easy.

And in the dark, Caroline whispered her own confession.

"My dad's gay."

There was silence. A beat. Two. Sheets rustled as Bonnie turned over.

"What?" The question was a tad groggy and filled with confusion.

Caroline shifted onto her back, stared up at the ceiling, eyes tracing whatever markings she could make out.

"Yeah, he's not as subtle as he thinks he is. Some guy named Steven." She let out a heavy breath. "And it's not that I'm upset he's gay. I mean I feel terrible for Mom because there's no way she doesn't know, but it's because there's no clean break." Caroline rubbed at her chest. "No chance for distance or closure. And I know it's because of me." Her eyelids fluttered closed as she stared hard at the new darkness, faux sparks of dim light flashing. "Because he's _terrified _of leaving me alone, without his protection."

Bonnie sat up, reaching over to turn the bedside lamp on.

"Caroline, you're not making any sense. You're almost seventeen not seven, why would he be afraid?"

Caroline's eyes were still closed, her fingers still toying with the neckline of her tank top.

"I have a soul mark, Bonnie." Wordlessly, she hooked a finger on the edge of her shirt and tugged it down slightly. She didn't need to open her eyes to know what marked her skin in black script, letters sharp and elegant.

**_My name is Klaus. Perhaps, you've heard of me?_**

"...Okay, I still win the shitty dads contest, but you definitely get the shitty soulmate prize."

Caroline barked out a laugh.

* * *

_August 30, 2014 _

Caroline and Enzo blurred together to Bonnie's front door, halting with only the slightest displacement of air. Near instantly, their witchy friend was pulling open the door. Her initial expression of pleasant surprise quickly fell into something more solemn and concerned.

"He knows about Elena." It was a statement not a question, though Caroline voiced a quick affirmative.

Lips pursed, Bonnie pulled the door open wider and stepped aside to let the two inside.

"I already called Sheila," Caroline announced as she moved farther into the house. "But I hope it doesn't come to that." Stopping suddenly in the middle of the room, she whirled around on her heel and clapped her hands together, nodding to herself. "Right. Bonnie did you figure out the house ownership thing?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Bonnie's lip twitched a bit at Caroline's demeanor and naming ability. House ownership thing, indeed. "I did." Cocking her head slightly, the witch proved it as both Caroline and Enzo felt a sharp jolt. They jerked, though she released the magic immediately.

"Fantastic. The protection and barrier spells?" Caroline continued, ticking them off on her fingers.

Bonnie nodded. "As soon as Elena arrives I can cast it. All the components for a barrier are also ready should we need it."

Turning the blonde arched an eyebrow at Enzo.

He smirked. "Don't worry about me, Gorgeous, my part is easy. Grab the girls and run like hell."

Her eye roll was half-hearted, but well-deserved in her opinion. Taking a deep breath, Caroline regarded her two closest friends.

"Thank you for this. I know I don't say it enough but I really appreciate it. This isn't exactly a small thing I'm asking for."

Bonnie walked over, bumping her shoulder with hers. "Of course, Care. Besides I know you'd have my back if the situation were reversed."

Enzo too stepped closer, throwing an arm over their shoulders. "Couldn't have said it better myself. Besides," he added eyes twinkling, "your dad would eviscerate me if I didn't have your back."

Caroline did not regret the elbow she dug into his stomach, warm affection bubbling in her chest. Unfortunately, she had to break the moment of levity as she pulled out her phone, feeling it vibrate in her pocket. Her eyes quickly scanned the message.

"Right so good news, we got really lucky and the witch Klaus asked for a location spell from was Lucy, and she managed to stall a bit and delay him. Bad news, he was close enough that he'll still get here by late tomorrow evening at the latest." Her thumbs flew across the touchscreen, tapping out first a thank you to Lucy before pulling up a text to one of the last people she thought she would message.

_To Elena: Bonnie and I are having a girl's night tomorrow. ...Do you want to join us? _

_From Elena: ...Really? _

Caroline blew a lock of hair out of her face.

_To Elena: Yeah, I guess it's time to bury the hatchet, maybe? Bonnie's friends with you too. _

_From Elena: Wow, that's really mature of you. _(Caroline scowled, God, could she be anymore condescending?) _Thanks, when should I come over? _

_To Elena:_ _6?_

_From Elena: Alright, I'll be there. _

Looking up from her phone, Caroline announced, "Well, that's Elena taken care of. Now, we just have to negotiate with the Hybrid. Easy."

* * *

_August 31, 2014_

Caroline watched a flicker of shock cross the Hybrid's expression. It was satisfying to confirm she had the upper-hand, especially considering he was a thousand years old. But for that same reason, she could feel the rush of anxiety coursing through her, along with a tinge of, perhaps inappropriate, anticipation. A part of her reveled in the challenge, the opportunity to see her plans come to fruition against such a foe.

She braced herself as she watched his expression clear, a calculating glint in his eyes.

* * *

It truly did seem to be a good day to be Niklaus Mikaelson. Who could have predicted that a sleepy, one-pony town like Mystic Falls would be home to both his soulmate and the doppelgänger. The words on his back continued to prickle as his thoughts rapidly assimilated the new information, plans being formed and discarded by the dozens.

He could feel the bond settling into place. But despite the romantic drivel Rebekah was hung up on, his world didn't suddenly shift on its axis or incorporate some other equally ridiculous sentiment. Instead, he could feel a new awareness for his supposed soulmate, a tiny kernel of warmth. It was troubling, after a thousand years, to find himself so uniquely bound to one person. And yet a part of him was also greedy _longed_ for it, for someone that could be utterly his, someone that shouldn't be able to betray him.

His eyes narrowed as he buried such sentiments, raking his gaze over the figure of his soulmate, her body still posed defensively in front of the brunette. She was certainly beautiful, he could admit, and fierce if her willingness to go against him was any indicator. It was brave, but foolish. Something to work on.

Shifting, Klaus adopted a less threatening posture, his features seeming a bit softer.

"Well, you're certainly a surprise, sweetheart."

She lifted her chin defiantly, her blue eyes still boring into his. "It's _Caroline_ _**not**_ sweetheart."

He suppressed a smirk, a bit charmed despite himself. With a slight nod of acknowledgement he purred her name, rolling the syllables across his tongue.

_"Caroline_, then, I'm afraid I still have some business with your friend. I don't suppose you'll stand aside?"

She scoffed, shifting to shield more of the brunette that still looked confused and fearful as she cowered behind her.

"No. What do you even want from her anyway?"

"That's a long and rather tedious story."

She looked utterly unimpressed by his half-hearted evasion, her tone wry when she countered.

"We're vampires. Time is something we have in spades."

The clueless girl let out a gasp at the word vampires, staggering back a step or two. Klaus didn't bother to suppress his derisive snort, his eyes darting over the blonde's shoulder. His gaze locked with shocked brown eyes, not bothering with compulsion as he could detect the sharp scent of vervain. Instead he let a slight smile cross his face, the expression mocking and lacking any warmth.

"I would advise that you make less noise, lest you continue to draw my attention." To her credit, the girl quivered, but seemed to understand his point. Her lips pressed firmly together and he thought he could detect a hint of rationality surf from her panic. Unconcerned, he returned his attention back to his daring soulmate.

Her face didn't reveal what she thought of his, frankly mild, threat. She seemed to be ignoring it altogether, waiting for him to answer her questions. She really was something, demanding answers from him, but he decided to indulge her.

"You see, love, I'm the only one of my kind, and to turn more I need the doppelgänger's blood." He tilted his head toward said girl. "Your little friend there."

He eyed the blonde speculatively as he noted she didn't seem surprised by his confession.

She just shook her head. "You don't get points for attempting such delicate phrasing. I'm not going to let you use _Elena_," she looked at him pointedly as she emphasized the girl's name, "as your personal blood bag."

Klaus could feel his features tighten with the first tendrils of irritation. Soulmate or no, he was growing tired of her attempts to stand in his way.

"Let?" He repeated, tone deceptively light. "Oh, sweetheart, no one _lets _me do anything."

She sighed.

He thought it was in resignation. A mistake.

A split second later he found himself on the floor an inescapable wave of pressure and pain pinning him down. It was stronger than any he had felt before and no matter how he fought, it wouldn't dissipate. From the corner of his eye he saw another vampire rush off with the other two girls, but even his reflexive snarl was smothered by whatever force surrounded him.

It left as quickly as it came, and Klaus wasted no time leaping to his feet. He was furious, his monster on full display. He lunged at her, though beneath the rage there was a tiny speck of hurt he refused to acknowledge and beneath that, even now, was a reluctance to truly hurt the blonde. Regardless of any feelings he may or may not have his attack was thwarted as he was repelled by a barrier.

He paced for a moment, now sensing the spelled dome that surrounded him.

"You're making a mistake." His voice was more growl than words and for the first time Caroline growled back at him, fangs bared.

"No, I'm not! I wanted to be reasonable, Klaus. But no, there was no room in your head after your giant fucking ego to hear what I had to say." Her vampire features faded away as she calmed slightly, voice taking on a more sardonic tone. "Well, now you _have _to listen to me."

Spreading his arms, Klaus was equally sardonic. "I'm listening."

* * *

Caroline inhaled a fortifying breath wondering what higher power/quirk of fate/mysticism bullshit thought it was a good idea to pair her and him together. He was violent. Condescending. Arrogant. Her fists clenched by her sides, a flash of laughter and the echo of Karoline ringing through her mind.

She exhaled. She really didn't know how to back down from a challenge, did she?

She forced herself to relax slightly, her fists unclenching. Peering into his eyes, dark and streaked with wolf gold, she allowed her own to soften slightly. Maybe he would interpret it as weakness, but she could afford civility.

"I've known about you for a long time." She rolled her left shoulder to displace one of the thin straps of her tank top, reaching up to peel the cup of her bra slightly downward. A reminder of his first words. If that hadn't been enough she tacked on a "Nikulás" to drive her point home.

The gold in his eyes flared brighter even as the rest of his expression blanked. Arms crossed behind his back as he cocked his head.

"And I suppose you've heard all kinds of tales."

She absorbed his stoic expression, part of her softening as she caught a glimpse of the boy in the monster.

"Hm, the Forbes are a part of the Council." She gave a slight shrug as she caught a flash of recognition in his gaze, absently repositioning the straps of her shirt. "Plus, I don't like being unprepared. I did a bit of research of my own too." She plowed on before he could comment. "And I am _very thorough _so I also knew you'd come for Elena eventually." Caroline moved to the edge of the barrier, making sure not to cross it as she kept her tone light. "Did you know she's studying to become a doctor? It made her very conscious of organ and blood donation numbers. In fact, she's a regular participant in blood drives." She smirked. "Shame though, that those donations never make it to a hospital."

This was the second time she managed to catch him visibly off guard and she couldn't help but give herself a mental pat on the back.

Surprise quickly faded to suspicion. "And you'll just hand the blood to me?"

Caroline nodded, pleased that Klaus finally seemed to be taking her seriously. "Provided it prevents you from tormenting her instead, yes." Her gaze hardened again, tone shifting from faux-nonchalance to dead serious. "So, _I want your word, Klaus_. In exchange for a human doppelgänger's past and future blood donations you will not interfere in anyway in said doppelgänger's life or the lives of any of their possible descendants."

* * *

Despite his lingering anger and wounded pride, Klaus found himself reluctantly impressed. Unlike some of the more romanticized fiction there was nothing that kept soulmates from harming or even killing one another. However, one thing they couldn't do was break their word once given. A Soul Vow or Soul Pledge. It was old magic. The kind that ancient ceremonies of soulmate unions, predating even him, were based on. And a little known fact that had been long forgotten for all that modern marriages still carry its vestiges.

An even lesser known fact was that the true force of this vow could only be used once. And she needn't have been so careful with her wording as the vow enforced the intent rather than the letter of the pledge. Knowingly or not, she was sacrificing her own guaranteed protection from him.

After a long moment spent scrutinizing her expression, Klaus slowly brought his right hand to his mouth. In one smooth motion he used his fang to cut a line down the length of his palm. Extending it in her direction, he waited to see if she would cross the barrier to take it.

Quicker than he expected, she mirrored his actions, only hesitating for a moment as she stepped toward him. Hands clasped, blood intermingling, he gave her his word.

* * *

Plans. Backup plans. They all fled from her mind as she took Klaus' hand in hers. It was warm. Strong. Not a hand one would associate with a monster. It was a foolish thought, only the monsters in stories had such obvious tells. But it didn't stop her mind from racing as she touched her soulmate for the first time. It was different from touching him in a dream or a memory or for a split second as she defended a woman she didn't even like. Part of it was likely the magic she was invoking, but that didn't stop the feeling of something shifting within her.

She was quick to release him once his word was given, half turning away as she pulled out her phone. Using her hair as a curtain, she made sure her features were composed as she held the phone to her ear, the repetitive ringing grounding.

It rang four times, their agreed upon signal that everything was calm on Bonnie's end.

"Caroline, is everything alright?" She could hear the slight tension in her friend's tone, the clear concern warming her.

"Yeah, all things considered it went pretty smoothly." She shifted slightly, feeling Klaus' gaze on her though she refused to look back. "He made the vow, so you can lower the barriers now."

"...Alright." Despite the clear reluctance, Bonnie trusted her and a few moments later Caroline felt the magic surrounding them fade.

"Thank you, Bonnie." Caroline tried to convey strength of her gratitude and judging by the warmth in the returned "you're welcome" she had succeeded. Still, she planned to lavish her friends with her affection for all their help in this.

Hanging up, Caroline strode past Klaus, still not looking at him. He followed on her heels and she whirled to face him.

"Why are you following me?" She could admit that it wasn't exactly a rational question as she doubted he would leave until he had his promised blood. But she was hyper aware of his presence and it was making her antsy.

In return, the Hybrid just rose an eyebrow at her and confirmed her prediction. She couldn't help but bristle a little that suddenly _he _was the calm one. Taking another deep breath she spun back around and marched out, trying to settle her nerves. This was stupid! Where had all her composure gone? Surely, he would take his blood and be on his way. Caroline steadfastly ignored the part of her that clenched at the thought.

A few moments later, Klaus stepped around her to open the passenger side door. The gesture was old fashioned, but it figured a veritable fossil like him could pull it off. She looked between him and his car, expression flat.

"You drive a hybrid." Caroline welcomed the amusement she felt as she watched his brow twitch. Despite his clear irritation his response was level.

"Yes. It pays to be environmentally conscious when you're going to live through the consequences." Okay, that was actually a good point. With a contemplative noise, Caroline slid into the passenger seat.

After giving Klaus the address to Bonnie's current location, Caroline settled back in her seat, peering out the window and letting her thoughts drift.

This hadn't been the first "official" meeting her younger self pictured having. Her older more cynical self, filled to the brim with the anxious whispers about the nightmare known as Klaus, was a bit more realistic. And yet even that version of her couldn't fully let go of her optimism, cherished memories still lingering in her mind.

Caroline tilted her head, quickly peeking through her hair at Klaus. He hadn't said a word after thanking her for the address, due to a lack of things to say or in deference to her clear need for space she wasn't sure. She looked away again.

She couldn't deny that he was handsome, but his appearance was hardly why she had qualms with him. Still, it wasn't exactly fair to judge him against the boy she knew he was a thousand years ago. And hadn't she interfered because she wanted to try or at the very least _attempt_ to try? She could be as infuriated as she wanted to be with his atrocious attitude. What she couldn't do was hold the existence of their bond against him. Nor could she pit him in silent competition against his younger self. That wouldn't be fair to any of them, not to the current version of him, not to the past one, and not to herself.

She released a breath, some of her lingering tension bleeding out of her. Right, decisions were good. Plans and lists were excellent.

* * *

The car rolled to a stop outside of the small house on the edge of Mystic Falls. Bonnie stood in the doorway, arms crossed as she waited for them. Her skin glowing caramel in the yellow porch light.

To her slight surprise, rather than rushing to Bonnie to get the blood, Klaus circled around again to open her door for her. This time she offered a tiny smile and a quiet "thanks" as she stepped from the car. They silently fell in step with one another as they walked the short distance to where Bonnie stood.

Caroline mouthed the word 'later' in response to Bonnie's quirked eyebrow, her eyes having darted between the two of them.

If Klaus noticed the byplay he ignored it, offering a polite smile. "Ms. Bennett, we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot."

Bonnie snorted at the vast understatement, arms still crossed as she stared down the Hybrid. "No need to strain yourself, Caroline promised you the blood so you'll get the blood."

He gave a short laugh, a little smirk curling across his lips. "Contrary to popular belief I can be civil, Ms. Bennett."

Bonnie didn't look very convinced, but she pushed off the doorway to let the two of them in. "Right," she drawled.

Caroline noticed the subtle shift Klaus made with his foot, testing the entryway. He didn't show it this time, but she could almost _feel_ his surprise when he was met with no obstruction. Perhaps, Bonnie guessed the direction of his thoughts as well or perhaps (more likely) she wanted the chance to express some threats of her own.

Stepping into the Hybrid's space, green eyes dark and intent, she looked fierce and fearless. "Caroline is one of my oldest friends, one of the best too. If you lay so much as a finger on her with the intent to hurt her…"

The witch trailed off, looking darkly satisfied as Klaus visibly grimaced in response to whatever magic she had inflicted. Though his eyes flashed in anger, there was also a trace of grudging respect in his expression.

"You have my word." He held eye contact with Bonnie for several long moments, and startled her when he suddenly flicked his gaze to her as well. There was a weight to his words. It wasn't a Vow, and yet some, perhaps naive, part of her believed him.

Caroline cleared her throat. "Right, it's this way." Without waiting for a response, she strode forward, leading the way down the hall and to the basement stairs. Wordlessly, she pulled several blood bags from the freezer, packing them neatly into a large cooler. Finishing quickly, she turned and half-shoved it into his grasp.

"That should be all of them. You can come here to collect them in the future or leave a contact and I can ship them to you."

Klaus let the cooler dangle by his side, hand loosely gripping the handle. "May I call on you, Caroline?"

That certainly wasn't what she expected him to say. The old-fashioned phrasing? Yeah, fine alright. His apparent desire to see her again, after everything? _In what world did that make sense?!_ Okay, so fine she promised she would stop judging him so harshly, but since when did _Klaus Mikaelson_ indulge in the idea of soulmates? Hell, earlier he was pissed that she got the better of him.

He seemed to read her with unnerving ease. "No tricks, love."

Again, she didn't know why some part of her was so quick to believe him. By all appearances, he looked sincere, but she doubted he survived so long without being an accomplished liar. And yet she found herself agreeing.

"I rent a place about half an hour away, 1092 Magnolia Crescent, Glenn Vista, VA 24416. ...I suppose you can come by."

"It would be my pleasure. Until then, Caroline." He dipped his head to kiss her knuckles before vanishing in a blur of speed. A split second later she heard a car door followed by its engine and finally the crunch of gravel as it pulled away.

She released the breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding, tipping her head back to stare at the dark wood beams crossing the basement ceiling.

_What was even her life?_

Snapping out of her pity party for one, Caroline yelled up the stairs as she flashed out of the basement.

"Bonnie, break out the vodka! I need a drink."

* * *

Sprawled among the piles of pillows and blankets, Caroline was glad to be a vampire. Her awkward position would not be comfortable as a human. She'd also probably be dead from the amount of alcohol she had downed in the last few hours. A spread of papers laid on the floor beside her, each containing a list of increasingly outrageous pros and cons of one Niklaus Mikaelson.

Some of the entries were admittedly ridiculous like, _'kicks at least one puppy before breakfast.' _But others hit hard. _'Has no compunctions about using violence to get his way.' 'Capable of fanatical levels of devolution.' 'Uncompromising in his beliefs.'_

Terrible as it was, the first point wasn't as much of a con as it likely would be for the average human. Violence was very much a stable of the supernatural world, and while Klaus was definitely one of the worst offenders and she was _not_ defending the behavior, it couldn't be the point her argument rested on. Too hypocritical. No, one of the things that worried her the most was the combination of the last two. What happens if one day, Klaus thinks she too would be safer spending decades locked away?

Caroline grunted, irritated, as a crumpled ball of paper smacked her in the face. She turned her head to toss a glare in Bonnie's direction, the witch now standing in the bedroom doorway, two bottles of water in hand and several more levitating balls of paper.

"That's your dwelling face, Caroline. Do I need to smack you again?"

Caroline just grumbled. "No."

Green eyes softened as she stepped farther into the room, cleaning up all the papers with a sweep of her hand.

"I know you have a lot to think about, but don't torment yourself with this. Do you want to give him a chance or not?"

That was the question wasn't it? And she kinda already made up her mind didn't she? She _chose_ to flash into the room. There were several subsets of plans that would have excluded her direct involvement, but in that moment she decided against it. There were even plans that would have prevented any confrontation at all, and yet she went out of her way to ensure their paths crossed. And then again, just a few hours ago, she gave him her address! Of course there were a billion other considerations to take into account, but for better or worse he was her _soulmate_. She owed it to herself to try to understand why him and if anything could come of it.

Caroline jumped to her feet, features determined as some of her previous turmoil settled. She turned to face Bonnie who had quietly sat, sipping her water, well used to Caroline's need to think and overthink.

_"Thank you._" She pulled her friend into her arms, making sure not to crush her with the force of her affectionate hug. Arms encircled her in turn, the witch chuckling by her ear.

"You're welcome. Now, go knock the Hybrid on his ass. He won't know what hit him."

Caroline pulled away with a grin, eyes sparking with anticipation and mischief. In a blur, the blonde rushed out the door in the direction of her house. Vampire speed far faster than her car for the relatively short 20 mile distance.

* * *

**1\. An older Norwegian spelling of Niklaus.**  
**2\. Try not to make too much of a mess, sister.**  
**3\. Pardon me, miss. Are you alright? Where are your guardians?**  
**4\. Oh, I am fine. I'm just looking for a gentleman with whom to dance. Do you want to dance with me, my lord?**  
**5\. My God. It is true. The White Ladies**  
**5b. Dame Blanches were considered female spirits that might appear near caves, caverns, ravines, bridges etc and request that you dance with them lest they do something nasty**  
**6\. No, I am something far worse**  
**7\. Old Norse Summer month that spans ~14. April – 13. May**  
**8\. A Norwegian variant of Caroline. I promise it wasn't a typo lol. Also it fits TVD anyway. I mean have you noticed the lack of C's? (Mikael, Niklaus, Kol, Rebekah, Henrik)**  
**9\. I thought it was funny to have the Hybrid drive a hybrid. Yes, Kol totally laughed at his brother for it, and yes, Klaus totally snapped his neck for it.**


	2. Chapter 2

_August 31, 2014_

Klaus shoved his phone back in his pocket, the motion rather more aggressive than usual. The degree to which he had been caught off guard was appalling and unacceptable. While Caroline had been worryingly well-informed, somehow he had been the one who knew nothing. That would soon change if his minions wanted to keep their limbs attached to their bodies, but that wasn't the bloody point.

He hadn't walked into a situation blind in centuries. If anything, he walked into most encounters with half the deck in his hand and the other half rigged beyond belief. So it had been second nature to play up the charming angle when aggression failed. It granted him her address at least.

Yet his attitude was less of a facade than he would have liked. His soulmate was formidable, a trait that was as admirable as it was aggravating, and part of him responded to that. Frankly, his wolf already considered the matter settled. Caroline was their mate and it wanted her.

After a moment's thought, he pulled his shirt off, quickly discarding the rest of his clothes into a semi-neat pile on his front table. It took negligible effort to then move from his foyer to the woods, his already enhanced vision sharpening even further as his eyes flashed gold, the rest of his monster pulled to the forefront.

He crouched on the forest floor, bones breaking and reforming in a macabre series of crunches. A few seconds later a tawny wolf stood where there was once a man. His form was unnaturally large, even on all fours, he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the average human.

With a quick shake, Klaus readjusted to the sensation of being a wolf, his instincts closer to the surface than ever. Bounding forward, the easy loping gait of his wolf devoured miles of terrain in an instant. He all but flew through the forest, navigating through the underbrush with preternatural ease.

As he ran, the scents of the forest enveloped him, and long forgotten flashes rose to the surface. Laughter. The bright, easy joy of children. Blonde hair. Sparkling blue eyes. Seemingly summoned by the flickers of memory, her scent blew in his direction.

Pomegranate. Lemon. Sage.

It took the full force of his millennium of control to only follow the trail for a few miles before turning around and heading back to his manor.

His wolf snarled its displeasure, clawing at him, but he ruthlessly suppressed those urges, knowing it wasn't the time to show up at her door as a giant werewolf. It certainly wouldn't improve her impression of him.

* * *

_September 1, 2014_

Caroline smoothed down the fabric of her floral dress, admonishing herself for the nervous gesture as she shrugged on a jean jacket. It's not as if she hadn't been expecting the knock. She even knew it was indeed Klaus and not some random stranger on the other side of the door.

Brushing aside the lingering hesitation, Caroline strode toward the door, pulling it open a moment later. She was greeted not only by Klaus but also by a gorgeous bouquet of amaryllis, heather, and iris.1 It was very much an unexpected gesture, though she could appreciate that Klaus apparently had more taste than to offer something as trite as roses or carnations.

"Hello, Caroline."

"Hi," she replied, still a bit distracted by the very unusual sight of the Original Hybrid holding a colorful explosion of flowers.

He tilted them in her direction. "These are for you."

She took them from him, a small smile having risen unbidden. "They're lovely, thank you." Caroline turned, leaving the door cracked as she called over her shoulder, "Give me a second to put these in water." A vase and some water later, and she was left with no more easy distractions.

Slipping out the door she arched a curious eyebrow. "Soooo, what does the infamous Klaus do on a date?"

He offered her his elbow, a gesture she accepted after a split second of hesitation. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Lunch or…?"

His eyes glinted slightly as he turned to look at her. "I would be delighted to share a hunt with you, sweetheart, if I thought you would accept. But no, I did indeed mean a restaurant."

Caroline shifted, embarrassed by the flash of intrigue she felt at the idea. Catching sight of his slight smirk, she aimed a glare at him. "Shut up. It's terrible etiquette to tick off your date before you even go _on _the date."

There wasn't as much heat in her tone as there could have been, and he must have sensed it judging by the slight twitching of his lips.

"My lips are sealed, love."

* * *

A relatively short drive later saw them seated at a small hole in the wall diner. Klaus flipped through the menu for a moment, but already seemed to know what he wanted. Instead he spent his time eyeing her with amusement, her bafflement likely painted on her face.

"Virginia is not exactly the home of gourmet cuisine (and there was the expected snobbery), but over the years I've learned that certain small establishments like these tend to make their food better than supposed five-star businesses."

Just as he finished speaking an older woman came bustling out of the kitchen, a delighted expression on her face. Streaks of startlingly bright red burst out amidst mostly gray hair, but despite her apparent age the woman had a youthful air about her.

"Nick, it's been too long!" The woman shifted her gray eyes between the two of them. "Oh? And you brought a lady friend! How unusual of you."

Nick (?!) just smiled, seemingly at ease. "Apologies, Jeanette, I haven't been in town or you know I would stop by." He turned to look at her, gesturing between her and the other woman. "Caroline, this is Jeanette, one of the best baker's south of the Mason-Dixon line. You should really try the pie. And Jeanette, this is Caroline, my lovely date."

Jeanette laughed, obvious mirth broadcasted in the crinkles around her eyes and mouth. "Nick flatters me, really. But it's a pleasure to meet you, Caroline."

The woman's joy was contagious and Caroline found herself smiling as well. "You as well." But before she could start making polite small talk, Jeanette interjected, looking a bit sheepish.

"Oh, right, sorry for the interruption, dears. Can I get you anything to drink while I'm here?"

They both asked for water and the woman chirped a 'coming right up' before departing.

"I met Jeanette in the 50s," Klaus answered her unasked question. "Killed her husband actually.

Caroline knew she was gaping unattractively, but-

"He makes it sound so terrible when he says it like that." Sometime in her stupor, Jeanette had wandered back over, water glasses placed with a soft tap, and Caroline's eyes darted over to peer at her. The former red-head looked far more serious, but still just as obviously fond of Klaus.

"I was a sheltered girl, too enamored by my first love to realize what a monster he was. And maybe he didn't deserve death, but I can't say I'm upset about. Frankly, I'm grateful for what Nick did." Pinning her with a surprisingly sharp stare, she added, "Perhaps it doesn't seem it, I know Nick tells me more than enough tales, but he's one of the good ones. You're a very lucky girl." With those parting words, the woman whirled and left once more.

Several beats of silence passed before Caroline managed to speak. "...So you _saved _her?"

"Hmm, no. She's a strong woman, much like you seem to be, Caroline. Jeanette saved herself. I just took a little bit of bloody vengeance on her behalf."

Caroline blinked, a part of her softening further. _Now_, she could understand how he might be her soulmate.

"But on to more mannered subjects, I want to know about you, Caroline. Your hopes, your dreams, everything you want in life."

His tone was an odd mixing of teasing and sincerity, and she gladly seized the change of subject, it even startled a laugh out of her and she shoved the complicated swirl of her emotions to the back of her mind.

"That is such a line," she teased, though Klaus seemed unashamed.

The rest of their meal passed far more smoothly, so much so that she found herself slightly startled when she realized they had loitered for over an hour. After paying the check, and leaving a generous tip, Klaus guided her to the door, his hand warm against the smaller of her back.

"There's one more place I would like to take you."

* * *

Caroline's eyes darted around in delight, absorbing the dozens of horses that she could see. It was pretty much a certainty in her mind that this was the result of some creepy minion stalking, and yet she found herself feeling more flattered than annoyed or violated. Her priorities really had become skewed.

A light flush crossed her face as she spun to face Klaus and caught the softer expression on his face.

"A couple of these are mine, so I arranged for us to go riding, if you would like?"

An enthusiastic agreement died on her tongue when she remembered what she was wearing. As a vampire, any possible abrasion from the saddle wouldn't really affect her but it would still be bothersome. Plus, she'd rather not flash anyone when she mounts or dismounts the horse.

Reading the disappointment on her face, Klaus already had a solution prepared.

"I also took the liberty of procuring a few pairs of riding breeches. They're in the bag in the backseat."

She beamed in delight, no longer bothering to quell her reactions, and without thinking, Caroline lunged forward and swept the Hybrid into a quick hug.

"Thank you!"

She pulled away, politely ignoring the way he had tensed, and ran off to change.

* * *

Klaus guided her to one of the more distant stables. There didn't seem to be as many stalls as some of the others, but all the housed horses were magnificent, even to her untrained eye.

"Are these all yours?" She wondered; it wouldn't be a surprise if that were the case.

"Not personally, but all the horses here belong to my family, yes."

When they came to a stop it was in front of the stall of an enormous, black stallion.2

"This Hymir3 He can be somewhat untrusting of strangers, but he's one of the most loyal horses I've ever owned."

Caroline approached slowly, hand held aloft. "Hello, Hymir."

He regarded her with his large, dark eyes for several moments before snorting and lowering his head into her hand. She rubbed the soft velvet of his nose, becoming more daring from the apparent acceptance. Soon she was petting the horse with both hands, cooing about how handsome he was.

Klaus chuckled softly behind, his face looking a tad surprised and impressed when she glanced at him. "He is a bit of a sucker for a pretty face apparently. I think I'm jealous, love."

Caroline tossed a smirk over her shoulder. "Well, if you play your cards right...And I'm more than just a pretty face."

The Hybrid stepped closer, turning her to face him as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Far more," he muttered and Caroline barely withheld a shiver from his touch and intensity. His eyes were a stormy blue as he leaned closer, and she couldn't quite stop the way her eyes flicked to his lips for a split second and back again.

With a nicker Hymir shoved his head between the two of them, demanding attention. Klaus huffed out a breath as he patted his horse, grumbling under his breath half-heartedly, "I called you loyal, you beast."

Caroline did a poor job muffling her giggles, giving up when Klaus leveled a thoroughly unimpressed look in her direction. She managed to control herself after a few moments.

"So, which horse will I be riding today?"

Stepping away from his own mount, though not before giving one last admonishing stare to his utterly unrepentant steed, Klaus gestured toward the next stall. Walking over, Caroline was greeted by another gorgeous horse, this one a dapple gray color.4

More amiable, the mare stepped right toward them, sticking her head over the gate and gently nudging them with her nose. She seemed to be most interested in their pockets though, and Klaus pushed her back with a stern 'no'. Caroline had never seen a horse pout before, but that seemed the best way to describe her expression.

"Don't be fooled, love. She's being cute to try to weasel treats out of you."

"You totally spoil her don't you?"

"...Of course not."

* * *

Once Caroline stopped teasing Klaus over the adorable way he treated his horses (I'm _not _**_adorable_**, love), he patiently walked her through grooming and tacking Dagný,5 the dapple gray one.

"Have you ever ridden before?"

She shook her head, both nervous and excited to ride such a majestic animal.

"No, I always wanted to as a little girl, but I never got the chance."

Klaus just nodded. "Alright, I'll teach you."

He held the horse steady to help her mount and adjusted the stirrups once she settled. Handing her the reins, he showed her the best way to hold them before mounting his own horse in a flash. He then paced a large circle in front of her, purposefully going slow and exaggerating his gestures a bit as he narrated the basics.

Halting in front of her he assured her, "Dagný is very well trained so if you're nervous I can just have her follow Hymir until you're more confident."

Caroline shook her head, determined. "No, I think I got it."

* * *

It wasn't quite so simple, but Caroline's vampire nature definitely helped her catch on quicker. Her balance and sense for the way the horse was moving were certainly far better than any human's.

Soon the two could maintain an easy trot and occasional canter through the fields.

And once she got the hang of it, Caroline's laugh was absolutely delighted as the wind pulled at her hair, Dagný's strides powerful and swift beneath her.

* * *

Her cheeks almost ached from how wide and long she had been smiling.

"Klaus, that was amazing! Thank you so much!"

"It was my pleasure, sweetheart."

Mildly flushed from the exhilaration, Caroline didn't let herself think when she impulsively leaned toward Klaus, brushing her lips against his in a swift kiss. A peck really.

She pulled back with a deeper blush, though she refused to look away. His pupils were ringed in gold as he absently licked his lips. Then he stepped closer, giving her time to dodge him as he slowly moved to cup her cheek, caressing the edge of jaw with his thumb. Leaning in just as slowly, he tilted her head to indulge in a slightly longer kiss, the pressure a bit more firm though the whole affair was rather chaste.

When they broke their exchange, Klaus just rested his forehead against her's for a moment, his eyes still closed. It seemed like he was just breathing her in and Caroline did the same.

Oak. Petrichor. A hint of copper.

Perhaps, she should be a bit more startled by how quickly they seemed to be moving, but it was surprisingly easy to open up to him now that she was trying. Oh, she was sure it wouldn't all be smooth sailing, but for now she reveled in how warm and comforting he could feel pressed against her.

* * *

The next week passed quickly in much the same way, Klaus a regular presence as he whisked her off on various dates. Not all of them were as elaborate as their first, but she could tell how much care he put into each of them. Always trying to make sure they were something she would like. Picnics. Dancing. Even casual movie nights.

* * *

_September 10, 2014_

_Knock Knock Knock_

Caroline blinked, wondering why Klaus was here. He normally didn't just drop by, some part of him a bit too old fashioned to not call ahead.

She pulled the door open, somehow not surprised that he appeared a bit disgruntled, though he offered a slight smile as she appeared.

"It seems my younger siblings can't keep out of trouble for long. Normally, I'd leave it to Elijah_, _but Kol stirred up something...worrisome during his normal carousing."

Caroline leaned against the door, feeling a bit of concern well up.

"Worrisome?" She repeated. That was not an encouraging word choice from an Original, let along the Original Hybrid.

"Potentially, some old enemies of our's. Very old ones." He looked apologetic as he added, "I'm afraid I will have to return to New Orleans for a few days perhaps a few weeks to get a handle on the situation."

Caroline looked thoughtful, hardly offended that Klaus had other obligations. Family was important after all. She bit her lip as she hesitantly offered a suggestion.

"Perhaps, I could come with you?"

It was Klaus' turned to blink, the surprise and trace of suspicion in his expression causing part of her ache for him.

"It will be dangerous, Caroline."

She couldn't manage to withhold her eyeroll, though she was very serious when she met his gaze. "I'm well aware, Klaus. I'm not an idiot."

She couldn't read his expression, but she could sense the rapid churning of his thoughts. Several long moments passed as she waited for his answer, her nails pressing into the wood of the door

"If I tell you to run, you _will _run."

"Fine." Though she made no promises on what she did after that.

"You'll also have to put up with my siblings. Are you sure you want to come?"

His attempt to lighten the mood wasn't subtle, though she knew it was also a semi-genuine attempt to dissuade her.

Her tone was purposefully airy as she replied, "Hm, and I'm sure they have tons of stories about you." Before he could retort she vanished up the stairs, her voice floating back down. "You can come in. Just let me call my friends and pack, alright?"

Klaus stepped across the threshold, unhindered by the barrier that had just fallen. Not that it really mattered he had come to learn, but he understood the sentiment behind the gesture. Silently he made his way over to the mantle where he ran a fingertip along the edge, his ears catching the sounds of Caroline bustling around upstairs.

* * *

When he asked to call on Caroline he honestly hadn't know how things would turn out, his mind had still absently toying with the idea of killing her despite his wolf's vehement opposal. His own sudden recollection of her once presence in his dreams hardly swayed him. He wasn't that human boy any longer. Nor did he ever wish to be again.

And it had been a calculated move to bring her to see Jeanette of course. An old lover, a human, one that knew of his monstrous actions, but thought him _good _of all things. Such an odd combination of traits. Klaus moved away from the mantle, eyes alighting on a vase that contained the bouquet he had had delivered that day.

He stepped closer, rubbing a petal between his fingers, lips quirking as a preservation spell hummed against his skin. What a delight his mate ended up being.

Strong. Ageless. Fearless.

* * *

Caroline whipped around her room, her closet doors thrown wide while she pulled various drawers open. Her phone sat on her bedside table, Bonnie and Enzo on speaker phone.

_"Are you sure about this, Gorgeous?" _

She paused, fingers toying with a sequin on one of her flashier dresses.

_"Sure_, not really. But I've weighed my options and this is what I want."

Bonnie having already experience Caroline's dwelling was a bit more relaxed, though no less protective.

_"As long as it's _**_your_**_choice." _

Caroline smiled, grabbing a blue sundress several hangers over.

"Thanks guys!"

* * *

The trip to New Orleans didn't take very long between vampire driving habits and a Mikaelson private jet. A few hours later put the two of them on the front steps of The Abattoir.

(_"Really, Klaus?"_

_"I didn't name it, love, but you must admit it has character, hm?"_)

Klaus slid his phone from his pocket, thumb blurring as he texted out a quick message. "Freya will need to allow you through the wards."

Before Caroline could comment and remind him that perhaps his family wouldn't want some stranger in their house, the door flew open.

"Nik-" The voice abruptly cut off as she noted her standing beside Klaus. One eye blue, one eye brown, both narrowed and dark. _"Who is _**_this_**_?" _

Caroline was almost impressed by the amount of sneering disdain the other blonde managed to pack into that one question.

"Now, now, Bekah, sheathe those claws, Darlin'. Your jealousy is showing." A brunet came swaggering up, leaning against the door just behind the blonde. His head cocked, smirk playful and eyes threatening. "'Tis a fair question though. You're bringing tasty little things home, now?" He leaned forward a bit, resting his chin on his sisters shoulder, only to be harshly shrugged off in return.

Klaus took in an unnecessary breath. "Rebekah. Kol. Why don't the two of you do something useful and fetch our _other_ sister?"

Traces of intrigue and calculation flashed across both of their faces as they absorbed Klaus' non-answer.

There was a moment as no one said anything, each eyeing the others, before Rebekah let out a scoff.

_"Please_, I'm not one of your little minions." Having said her piece the blonde flounced off, leveling quite the glare in Caroline's direction before she left.

Kol continued to linger, an impish expression on his face. "My, my, already riling our sister. That must be a record."

Before Klaus could retort, another blonde woman appeared. She seemed older than Rebekah, and Caroline assumed this was Freya.

"Klaus." Her eyes shifted to take in the new addition just as the two before her did, though she was much more polite in her inquiries. "And guest?"

In response, he settled an arm against the small of her back, shifting a bit back to put her in front. "Yes, this is Caroline."

Her lips pursed, questions visibly restrained. "Well, come in then." She stepped back allowing both of them to pass, Kol somehow having slinked off in the meantime. Caroline was almost surprised when nothing barred her from entering. But if Bonnie had taught her anything, that didn't mean much when a powerful and innovative witch was present.

Klaus ignored his sister behind them, guiding her up the stairs instead. "This way, love."

Several turns later finally brought them to their destination, and Caroline marveled at its splendor as Klaus swung the door open. Its grandeur wasn't exactly a surprise considering whose house she was in, but still.

The walls were cream, the floor some type of dark wood, probably mahogany. It had a four poster bed, a window seat _and _a balcony between the two windows, a large closet, and a door that she suspected led to an ensuite bathroom.

She stepped in, rolling suitcase in hand, making her way toward the bed. Though she heard the door click shut behind her, Klaus' presence remained.

"Why did you come here, Caroline?"

Her hands stilled on the fabric of one of her blouses. This probably wasn't a conversation they should have while she stared at her clothes like they held the answers to the universe. Setting the top back down, she slowly turned to face him.

His face was impassive as he leaned against the door, his arms crossed.

"Why do you think I came, Klaus?" She held up a hand before he could take that the wrong way. "I don't mean to be difficult, I'll tell you why I followed you. But you brought me all the way here, let me into your house...Why? Since you seem to doubt my intentions."

He shifted, suddenly in front of her as his hand wound one of her curls around his finger. "Is there not a saying about enemies and closeness?"

Caroline didn't let him rattle her, sensing they were on the precipice of something. She set her palms on his chest, not putting any pressure to push him away, just letting them rest there.

"You consider us enemies?"

He released the curl, letting it spring back, as he used his newly freed hand to trace the column of her throat.

"I've considered all that stand in my way enemies, and you've certainly thwarted me more than most. Interceding on the doppelgänger's behalf as you did."

Perhaps, his words would have rattled someone else, but even as she peered into his dark, expressionless eyes, she couldn't dredge up fear. Maybe that was a mistake on her part, but she didn't think so.

She felt his fingers twitch against the sensitive skin of neck, his surprise when she only smiled in response.

"I'm not shocked you're the grudge holding type, I am too." Leaning closer, until she was sure he could see the lack of guile in her eyes, she all but whispered. "But Klaus, you never said you considered _me _your enemy."

He too leaned forward, dipping under her face. The tip of his nose followed in his finger's wake as he retraced a line down her throat, stopping at the curve of her shoulder and pressing a light kiss to her skin.

"No, you're my mate." He pulled back, his eyes containing a tinge of vulnerability. "Do you intend to be my enemy as well?"

She could see what it cost him to ask, rather than demand or threaten or destroy.

"No, I came here because yes, you are my mate. And whatever power that decided we were a mach for each other? I might not understand why, but it feels right, and that's enough for me right now. So don't make me have to run, Klaus. I want to stay."

Something hot and wild flared in his eyes. "Good."

"Good."

The air in the room seemed charged, his hand now cupping her cheek, her fingers tracing patterns on his chest. The tension was broken when a fist started pounding on the door.

"Jesus, Nik, are you fucking your little tart already?"

Caroline would be more offended and irritated if it wasn't clear Klaus felt enough for both of them. The moment was thoroughly ruined and Klaus looked murderous.

"I'll fetch the rest of you luggage after I deal with Rebekah."

Caroline turned back to her open suitcase, tuning out the angry sniping she could hear in the hallway.

* * *

_September 14, 2014_

Caroline spent the next few days mostly flitting between her room and Klaus', torn between wanting to know his siblings better and not infringing on their space when they clearly didn't know what to think of her. And some seemed downright resentful of her presence, to say the least.

When she finally decided to venture farther into the house, she regretted it pretty much instantly. For such a large house, the density of Mikaelson's seemed to be high at all times.

* * *

First, it was the library…

* * *

One of the first rooms she came across was the library. It was a gorgeous space, all dark wood and tasteful accents, the entire room filled to the brim with carefully organized shelves. It didn't take her long to curl up in one of the lounge chairs by the fire, book in hand.

Her finger twitched when a few hours later she sensed another presence enter the room. Reaching the bottom of a paragraph she glanced at the page number before closing it, looking up to see who was disturbing her peace.

He was another one of Klaus' brothers judging from his aura, Elijah if she had to guess, based on his sartorial choices.

(_"Can you tell me anything about your siblings? You know, since I'm crashing their house?" _

_"Hardly, 'crashing', love. I invited you." _

_She just rolled her eyes at him, unimpressed. _

_He smirked cheekily. "Fine. Fine. Kol's a pervert and a pest. Rebekah's a brat and a pest. Elijah is a constantly overdressed pest. Finn is thankfully not here, though he is dull enough you wouldn't notice the difference. Freya's alright, I suppose." _

_"I'm sensing a bit of a pattern here," she deadpanned. _

_"Quite. I'm sure they will make nuisances of themselves shortly." _)

"Can I help you?" She asked, keeping her tone level, neither hesitant nor confrontational.

"My siblings informed me that Klaus had a guest, and it is only polite that I greet you. My name is Elijah, a pleasure, Ms. …" He trailed off as he proffered his hand, pretending not to already knowing her name and anything else a thorough background check would grant him.

_Polite. Sure. That was the reason he was here_. All the same, she returned his handshake, grip firm. "Forbes, but please call me Caroline."

"Ms. Forbes," he started, expression bland and neutral, the man too refined to make a bigger show of ignoring her request. "I hope your stay has been pleasant so far." His gaze fell on her book as if he just realized he might have been interrupting her. "Excuse me, I shall leave you to return to your affairs."

The man nodded to her politely and though she stayed another half-hour or so, she couldn't re-immerse herself in reading. Elijah may have acted like he was leaving her be, but she could sense the way he was observing her. Knew he must be mentally picking apart every detail and constructing all kinds of theories to explain her presence.

* * *

Then, the kitchen…

* * *

Seeing that her reading time had been spoiled, and hanger was _very _much still a thing as a vampire, Caroline headed for the kitchen. Not in the mood to make anything complicated, she grabbed a couple of bags of B+ and whipped up some simple mixed drinks, just to give herself something to do.

"So, the tasty little thing is making a tasty little thing."

Caroline whipped around, instantly spotting Kol leaning against the fridge. Seeing that he had her attention, a wicked little grin crossed his face. "Would that be cannibalism?" He punctuated his question with an exaggerated gasp of mock horror.

It was an honest struggle to refrain from any visible reaction. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction, as it was rapidly becoming clear that Kol was a professional shit-stirrer. Unfortunately, her best efforts were not enough. Judging from the way his grin widened, he could tell that he was annoying her.

"So _is _that your secret, Darlin', that's got Nik all in a tizzy?"

"Absolutely," Caroline stated as flatly as possible before gulping down one of her drinks and sliding the other to Kol. "Enjoy the cannibalism."

She felt no shame when she took the opportunity to bolt.

* * *

The sitting room...

* * *

However, she was coming to learn no where was safe. Rebekah ambushed her in one of the many sitting rooms, and was full of passive-aggressive and _aggressive _-aggressive commentary.

Caroline could easily snipe with the best of them, but it wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend her day.

* * *

And even the goddamn solar.

* * *

Not even Freya, the most polite of the bunch, really gave her peace. Admittedly, she actually managed to hold a semi-normal conversation with the woman, but it was obvious that she was also subtly trying to figure out why Klaus brought her with him. (Not that she could be _brought _places).

It was exhausting and she took the first opportunity to beat a hasty retreat.

* * *

Klaus' hand stilled mid-stroke as he heard Elijah confront Caroline. He kept his ears tuned to the conversation even as he resumed sketching, curls coming to life from lines of charcoal. His siblings were nosy, but they wouldn't harm her. Besides, by now he knew Caroline could more than hold her own.

Still he'd certainly have ..._ words _with them later.

* * *

_September 16, 2014_

"She's your mate, isn't she?"

Klaus carefully didn't react, continuing to pour some bourbon into his glass. He took a sip, turning to face his brother as he leaned against the wall.

"Now, what makes you say that?"

Elijah was the picture of nonchalance as he ran a finger down the edge of the page, turning it gently. "You are not subtle, Niklaus. You can barely go a few moments without touching her when you occupy the same room: her back, her shoulder, her hand. Her room is the master suite across from your's for god's sake. Not to mention, the fact that Rebekah and Kol have experienced an exponential increase in neck snaps recently. Oh, you might couch it in your typical excuses of temper, but I cannot help but notice it always seem to happen right after they pester Ms. Forbes. Need I continue?"

Klaus said nothing, a bit stunned by how much Elijah noticed, how much there was _to notice _. In the end, he didn't reply, a few moments later inquiring about the latest news of the witches.

His silence spoke for itself.

* * *

_September 20, 2014_

Caroline, surely exasperated by the menaces that made up his family, came to him rather than retire to her own room.

"Your siblings are the actual Worst, Klaus," she growled in frustration.

He chuckled setting his sketchbook aside and rising from where he had been lounging on his settee.

"Well, I don't always claim them." Walking over he hesitated for a split second, his burgeoning genuine affection still a bit startling, before settling a hand on the small of her back and guiding her over to where he had been sitting. Possession. Desire. Wanting to stroke and taste every inch of her until she trembled in his arms. Those were feelings he understood easily. But the way he wanted to simply hold her in his embrace, offer comfort and shelter and warmth. That was foreign.

Yet he couldn't help the way a part of him softened with amused fondness as she all but threw herself onto the settee, an adorable frustrated expression on her face. Stepping closer, he settled down beside her, shifting her legs to make room before letting them rest in his lap. She blinked, startled from her grumblings and looked a bit surprised by the move.

"So, what have you been up to all day anyway?" She blurted out.

He fidgeted slightly, feeling her skin twitch beneath his fingers as they traced little patterns on her ankles. After a moment, he leaned forward to retrieve his sketchbook and passed it to her.

"One of my lesser known passions."

Klaus watched as she slowly flipped through his drawings, absorbing her little expressions of appreciation and wonder. He resettled against the cushions, continuing to rub circles on her calves. "Though one of my landscapes is hanging in the Hermitage." He let out a slight chuckle. "Not that anyone would notice. Have you ever been?"

Caroline glanced over, an odd expression on her face. "No, I've never _really_ been anywhere." As she spoke, he caught a glimpse of something wistful on her face, his next words nearly leaping from his mouth.

"I'll take you. Once this little detour is taken care of. Anywhere you wish to go, Caroline. Rome. Paris." She looked a bit astonished, and he tacked on a more teasing, "Tokyo?"

* * *

Caroline laughed, startled by Klaus' grand gesture. "Oh, wow. You know I don't need _you_ to take me places?" Her tone was light and playful though and he laughed with her, a boyish grin on his face. She leaned a bit closer, her laughter subsiding as the air electrified. "I think I would like that though. Traveling with you."

His own smile dissipated, replaced by something a little more intense.

But before anything more than his hand on her cheek could happened, her vision blurred.

* * *

_August 8, 2007_

Caroline inhaled a slow breath, counted to three before exhaling. She sat cross-legged in the backyard, the grass lightly poking at her even through the blanket she had set down.

Fourteen and a bit gangly with limbs feeling too long and weight redistributed to odd places, Caroline Forbes seemed to be the typical young teenager.

She wasn't.

Her fingers fiddled with the edges of her loose tank top, before she resettled, placing her palms on her knees. Inhale. One, two, three. Exhale. One, two, three. Inhale. One, two, three. Exhale…

The sunlit red-black of the back of her eyelids wavered and faded.

Her lips curled into a smile as she took in the figure before her. He smiled back at her.

"Hello, elskari." 6

"Nik!" She was beaming now and didn't hesitate to move over and tackle him in a hug. She could feel the way he huffed beneath her, and she lightly swatted him. But because he could be a pest, her friend just chuckled at her, though he did shift to hold her more comfortably.

His fingers carded through her hair as she cuddled with him in the grass.

* * *

Klaus blinked startled by the vision that washed over him (_them_, judging by the clearing glaze over Caroline's eyes), mood ruined. Until now, he had forgotten the details of those ancient dreams. And he wasn't exactly pleased it bled through. What need did he have of that past, when he was accepting the flesh and blood version of his mate in the present?

Caroline appeared even more disturbed. "That shouldn't have happened," she muttered to herself.

Klaus frowned. He had thought that he had accidentally read the memory from her, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"I'm calling Bonnie," she announced, pushing back toward the other side of the settee.

They both listened to the phone ring a few times before the witch picked up.

_"Caroline? Is something wrong? Did Klaus do something to you?!"_

"No, no, nothing like that, Bonnie. It's something else. I had a very vivid flashback to one of the dreams Klaus and I shared as children, and it just came out of nowhere. I'm pretty sure Klaus saw it too." Her eyes flicked to him and he nodded in confirmation.

_"That shouldn't be possible." _

"Yeah, that's what I said."

_"That connection broke when you turned. Maybe it could re-establish itself now that the two of you physically met and are now both undead, but it wouldn't happen like that. It would be a new dream not some shared recollection of an old one."_

_"Is that Gorgeous?"_ They both heard, the voice sounding like it came from several feet away from the phone's receiver.

Klaus couldn't quite prevent the way he bared his teeth at the pet name, though Caroline reached over to soothe him, twining their fingers together. He couldn't remember the last time he _held hands_ with someone, but he still took the opportunity to tug her a bit closer. She came willingly and leaned against his side.

_"Yeah, something might have happened to her soul bond."_

_"What?! Did the Hybrid do something to her?!"_ His question echoed the witch's though his concern was mixed with far more anger.

"Enzo, I'm okay, I promise."

The witch interjected, quickly explaining what Caroline had relayed.

_"We'll be there shortly, Gorgeous."_

Caroline spluttered. "What?! No, guys I can't ask that of you. If Bonnie needs to do her diagnostic spells I can just come there."

_"You didn't have to ask. Besides I've been looking for an excuse to be able to give that Hybrid of your's a piece of my mind."_

Caroline sighed and rolled her eyes, but her expression was fond. "I suppose there's nothing I can do to dissuade you?"

_"Nope." _The irritant sounded much too pleased with himself. _"See you soon, Gorgeous."_

_"Bye, Caroline."_

"You certainly keep interesting company," he stated dryly.

* * *

_September 21, 2014_

Caroline rushed for the door able to hear Bonnie and Enzo's chatter on the other side. Flinging it open, she enveloped both of them in a hug even as she admonished them.

"Why didn't you tell me you were here? I would have gotten you from the airport."

"Seems your boyfriend is good for something after all. He had a car waiting for us."

Blinking in surprise, Caroline glanced over her shoulder to where Klaus was hovering near the stairs. He gave a little nod, but didn't say anything nor did he come over. She huffed at him, but turned back to her friends. "So, we could probably go to the-"

"You're letting your little pet invite guests, now?"

Caroline took a fortifying breath before whirling to face Rebekah, a pageant queen smile on her face.

"No need to worry, Rebekah, I'm not inviting them into the house."

Rebekah scoffed. "As if I would _worry-_"

"Gorgeous, who is-"

Both Enzo and Rebekah froze as their eyes met. Enzo's blue eye and Rebekah's brown each flickered, slowly shifting until their heterochromia vanished. Another flicker and the pair possessed matching hazel eyes.

The entire room was frozen in shock, each spectator gaping at the scene before them.

* * *

Klaus absently rubbed his jaw, uncharacteristically stunned by the last hour's events. Rebekah practically threw a fit until her soulmate was invited in. That was expected. The fact that she had her soulmate all but fall into her lap due to the indirect actions of his own? Far less expected. The following debacle with Kol? He had stalked away, mood black.

"Klaus?"

Caroline appeared wary as she interrupted his thoughts. Part of him clenched at her renewed guardedness while the rest of him seethed, whispering doubts in his ear. Three soulmates in as many weeks? Surely, it wasn't a coincidence.

He could feel the way his eyes darkened, blood starting to rush through his sclera.

* * *

_Ylir_ 7991

Nikulás knew he must have fallen asleep, but it did not grant him peace as it normally would. He snarled as he took a blade to the bark of a tree over and over again. Thick gashes marked its trunk as he continued making swift strikes.

"Nik?" He heard called behind him. His shoulders tensed, but he refused to turn. The thwacks of his sword against wood covered the sound of Karoline's footsteps, and he startled when her warmth was suddenly behind him.

She said nothing, just clasped his shoulder in a gesture of support. His sword dipped from where he had stilled mid-swing. After another assuring squeeze, she released him and moved a few paces away, half-circling the tree.

A blade of her own in her hand, she leveled a challenging look in his direction.

"Well?" She asked with a playful quirk of her lip. "Are you going to let me outmatch you?" Without waiting for a response, Karoline shifted and made her own deep cut in the tree.

Tension unknotted from within him replaced by a familiar competitive spirit. "Never."

* * *

Klaus sucked in a harsh breath, and a blink later he had Kar-_Caroline_ pressed against the wall.

"I will not be manipulated by you!"

His grip was not as harsh as it could have been, but he still found himself surprised when their positions reversed.

"And I will not be manhandled, Niklaus!" Even in his anger, he couldn't help but find her monster glorious, though she pointedly released him after a few seconds.

She stepped back, flicking some of her hair over her shoulder as her fangs retracted. "Now, I'm going to go speak with Bonnie as _we_ intended to do earlier. Get back to me when you've gotten over yourself."

Turning, she moved toward the door. He felt a flare of anger, that she could dismiss him so easily, and used it to smother the betrayal stirring within him. He hadn't given her his trust to be betrayed.

"Don't turn your back on me."

She halted in front of him, where he now blocked her path, before leaning a bit closer.

"Then don't turn your back on _me_, Klaus. _Talk to me_. Don't just jump to conclusions."

He could feel his fingers twitch at his side. His hand was a blur, a millennium of experience telling him to strike first, to distrust the manipulations of his enemies. But the skin of her cheek was soft against his palm, and he could feel some of his anger draining away as he cradled her face. He stroked his thumb against her cheekbone.

"We'll talk when you return." He murmured at last. And against his near every instinct, Klaus dropped his hand and stood aside.

* * *

Caroline knocked on Kol's door (something she _never _thought she would do), waiting several moments before it swung open. Bonnie stood on the other side with Kol lingering behind her. If the matter wasn't so serious, Caroline would be more amused by the look of wonderment on Kol's face, the way he was still holding Bonnie's hand.

Bonnie tracked the direction of her gaze, slight humor dancing on her face. "Don't mind him." Her friend perked up. "He might be able to help, actually. I've never met someone who knows so much about magic."

She felt her eyebrows rise, a bit surprised. That was convenient.

Bonnie gestured her in and took a seat on the edge of Kol's bed, while Caroline chose to settle on an ottoman. As she summarized the current situation, she watched Kol trace the edges of Bonnie's fingers with his own, though he had a serious expression on his face for once.

"And this has just started to occur?" The question came from Kol as he looked up to regard her.

She nodded. "Yeah, like I said we used to share dreams, but they were were never waking visions."

A frown furrowed the Original's brow. "Someone is meddling where they should not dare to," he muttered darkly.

Caroline leaned closer, tone urgent. "What do you mean?"

Kol moved to stand before pausing, with a cock of his head and a twitch of his fingers a leather-bound book appeared in his hand. There was a flash of awe and delight on his face, but his uncharacteristic solemnity soon returned.

"Soulmate bonds _can_ shift over time, especially when the involved parties alter the type or strength of their relationship. However, that change _must_ be initiated and accepted by those involved. It's not spontaneous." Flicking through several pages, the Original scanned the lines of text before snapping the volume closed. He looked up and summarized a rather worrying tale. "Several centuries ago a particularly jealous and covetous man died when he tried to break up a mated pair, convinced that the woman was actually _his _soulmate. And it would have been an insignificant albeit unusual happening if the man wasn't also a very powerful warlock. From the Other Side, he managed to interfere with the bond, causing little changes neither of the pair expected. They were vulnerable enough that he succeeded in breaking them from one another."

Caroline's lips pursed as those facts settled in her mind. "It's a plot against Klaus."

"Very likely," Kol confirmed.

"But...why? Sure, it could stir conflict, but it's not like a potential relationship failure would kill him or anything."

"Darlin', Nik is a possessive man. He's also a wolf and an Original vampire. And you're _his mate_. Trust me, that means something to him."

Caroline felt her heart jolt lightly. "Right," she suddenly chirped. "Thanks, Kol. I'll leave you two to it. Bye."

Her steps were purposeful as she rushed back toward where she left Klaus. It had been surprisingly reassuring to have confirmation of his feelings from someone else. So, if he could just get out of his own way, maybe they could get somewhere.

As she whipped past the courtyard an idea sparked in her mind.

* * *

Klaus spun, eyes narrowed as he caught the object flying toward him. Confusion washed over him as he realized it was a sheathed sword and Caroline had been the one to toss it to him.

He hefted the weapon, tilting the hilt in her direction as he inquired, "A sword, Caroline?"

Brandishing a sheathed blade of her own, the blonde beckoned to him. "We're sparring. Come on."

The baffled "what" he uttered as he followed was not particularly eloquent. She glanced over her shoulder as she walked.

"You're frustrated. I'm frustrated. The mood isn't quite right for angry sex. Soooo," she drawled, "we're going to fight and then we'll talk. ...Oh! And no powers."

"...Where did you even get these swords?"

* * *

A laughed escaped her at Klaus' question. "Surprisingly enough, your sister."

(_Where would the Mikaelson's keep swords? Surely, they had a stash of weapons sitting around somewhere. She pondered who she could ask that would in turn ask the fewest questions._

_"Caroline," a haughty voice called from behind her. She barely refrained from pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation._

_"Yes, Rebekah?" She managed to say levelly. Though her eyebrow rose when she turned and saw the Original was almost fidgeting._

_"You rescued, Enzo," her fellow blonde blurted out._

_Caroline softened. "I did, yes, and I've never regretted it."_

_"Thank you." She regarded the Original, knowing the woman's gratitude was sincere; this moment the most honest and genuine Rebekah had ever been with her._

_With a small honest smile of her own, Caroline nodded. "Enzo has had my back in return for years now, and I love him dearly. Don't hurt him, Rebekah." The unspoken 'or else' lingered between._

_Nodding again, Caroline turned to go, but paused mid-pivot. "Hey, Rebekah? Do you happen to have any swords around here?" _

_"...I beg your pardon?"_

_"I think Klaus and I would benefit from releasing our mutual...aggravations. Then, maybe I can get through his thick skull."_

_Rebekah actually snorted with amusement. "...I suppose Nik could do worse than you.") _

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this, sweetheart?" Klaus' tone was taunting, but his eyes were darker. Evidently he decided to channel his frustrations into this fight after all.

_Good_, Caroline couldn't help, but think. She had frustrations of her own.

With an admittedly indulgent flourish of her sword, Caroline snarked right back. "Maybe you've forgotten, likely since you're older than dirt, but _you_ once taught me how to sword fight. And I've only picked up more tricks since."

If he was surprised he didn't show it. "I certainly hope so, love, or this won't be much of a fight."

Between one breath and the next he was lunging, sword aimed for her throat. It was fast, but Caroline redirected it with ease.

"Are you even trying?"

The next slash was her's, a harsh side blow that could bifurcate a man. He too used minimal effort to block it.

"Are _you_?"

Their eyes narrowed as they circled one another, trading a series of strikes. It seemed every exchange increased in speed or strength or skill. But they ended up in another deadlock, their blades locked together.

Klaus wet his lips, a savage grin on his face. "You _do_ remind me of my younger self... but he existed a thousand years ago." He suddenly ceased his resistance, shifting back as Caroline stumbled forward. His follow up was ruthless, a lightning fast jab that would pierce her chest.

Throwing her weight into her overbalanced position, Caroline ducked and rolled under Klaus' sword, ending in a crouch behind the man. She swept her sword at his ankles, forcing the Hybrid to jump lest he lose his feet.

Pressing her advantage, Caroline rose and struck multiple times, forcing Klaus back as he was still landing from his jump. He still managed to catch one of her blows once he re-balanced, sending her own sword careening to the side with a flick of his wrist. Then, it was his turn to advance, driving her back with several rapid swipes.

Dropping to the ground, Caroline upped the ante as she added her legs to the fight, sweeping his feet out from under him as she thrust her sword upward. With surprising flexibility, the man bent out of the way and flipped back to his feet.

Their eyes glinted as they locked gazes, momentarily paused as they reveled in the rush of their fight. On some unspoken signal, the two burst into action once more. More serious, Klaus' next attacks were even faster, his style a seamless dance of blade and body. Caroline too altered her fighting patterns, appearing to flow around and redirect everything that came within range.

She wasn't sure how long they were at it, but they dueling with a skill unmatched by most, on the borderline of straying into supernatural ability.

_There_.

It was the tiniest of opportunities, but Caroline seized it, managing to unbalance Klaus' sword in his hand. Not one to be outdone, a masterful twist of his wrist sent both of their weapons flying.

Klaus licked his lips, eyes dark. "A draw, Caroline?"

She stepped closer, wary, neither of them the type to concede. Her eyes tracked the shifts of his clothes over muscles, watched as he seemed to uncoil. Slowly, she followed suit.

"I suppose we should have that talk now then," she said carefully.

* * *

Caroline fiddled with the crystal glass in her hand, swirling the alcohol around in random directions. She could feel Klaus' gaze from across the room, his impatience growing as her silence lengthened.

She threw her drink back, gulping it like a shot, and grounded herself in the burn it trailed down her throat. Setting the glass down, Caroline walked toward Klaus, stride determined.

"I think you do know that, other than you and I, I didn't plan for any more soulmate pairs. How could I? Eye or ability sharing are not exactly easy indicators to track down ahead of time." She watched the reluctant agreement wash across his expression. "Our bond though...Kol was surprisingly informative."

His jaw clenched. "He has always had a great fascination for such things."

"He thinks someone is tampering with it from the Other Side. Someone with an incredible amount of magic." As she spoke, Caroline braced for his reaction.

Though his eyes instantly flashed bright, near glowing gold, the rest of his body stilled. And for several long moments, Klaus seemed to be staring down some imaginary enemy before his piercing gaze landed on her. His voice was husky when he spoke, a growl seeming to underlie his speech.

"How well did you study my family, Caroline?"

"...You suspect this is Esther's doing." It wasn't a question, and while it was anticipated, it still hurt to see suspicion re-enter his eyes.

"You truly are a remarkable well-informed baby vampire." That was _not_ a compliment, and she could hear it in the way his voice suddenly got quiet, a silken threat weaving through his words.

She refused to let him cow her though nor did she wish to further feed his paranoia. "One of my closest friends is a _Bennett witch_, Klaus, and she has Ayana's grimoire. That woman had _many _guilt-laced confessions penned about the role she played in the creation of so-called abominations and just who she helped."

* * *

Klaus didn't find regret to be a particularly useful emotion and he rarely felt it. Yet there was a complicated little twist in his chest whenever she regarded him as she did now. He swallowed around the even more foreign urge to apologize, prodding instead for any other details she could tell him about their situation. He let those details distract him, filing the information away as he concocted plans.

Caroline made to leave when there was nothing more to tell, and he moved to stop her. It surprised them both, and he just stared at her for a split second, absorbing the ever present spark of her spirit that burned in her eyes.

"Wait," he muttered as he set a hand on her shoulder. "I-I apologize for my less...well-mannered actions earlier. Suspicion comes naturally to me, but perhaps I shall try to refrain from ah 'jumping to conclusions' in the future."

Her eyes widened and her lips slightly parted, the obvious surprise making him glance away. But before he could mutter excuses and beat a hasty retreat she squeezed the hand on her shoulder, grasping it and lifting it off. The press of her lips against his knuckles was a surprise and his gaze darted back to her.

She smiled at him, expression soft and pleased.

"Thank you for the apology, Klaus." A more playful smirk crossed her face even as she pressed another quick kiss to his hand before dropping it. "We had a little spat, I'm over it already."

* * *

**1\. Amaryllis: splendid beauty, worth beyond beauty; Heather: admiration (lavender), wishes will come true (white); Iris: compliments (purple), hope (blue)**  
**2\. Picture horse breed: Friesian**  
**3\. Old Norse: darkening one or shading one; related to twilight**  
**3a. I headcanon that for all of Klaus' artistic talents he is not a very creative namer, a trait he shares with Caroline**  
**4\. Picture horse breed: Andalusian**  
**5\. Old Norse: dawn or more literally a combination of the words for day and new**  
**6\. Old Norse: Sweetheart**  
**7\. Old Norse winter month spanning ~14. November – 13. December**


	3. Chapter 3

_September 23, 2014 _

"KOL!"

Caroline awoke with a start, Rebekah's screech likely waking the entire house if not the entire block. Was it worth it to get up and investigate or should she just roll over and catch another, Caroline cracked an eye open to peer at the clock, hour of sleep?

Nuzzling into the soft covers, Caroline hummed. Sleep sounded good.

_CRASH _

She flung the blankets up and over her face, turned to burrow under her pillow while she cursed her vampire hearing. Despite her best efforts the sounds of cursing and destruction continued. Loudly.

_What happened to the spelled rooms? For god's sake, were they brawling in the hallway?! _

A particularly loud crack as a wall shuddered answer that question. Yes, they were definitely throwing each other around in the hallway.

Launching herself out of bed, Caroline stalked toward her door and peered out. Kol was standing a bit down the hall, his back to her, Rebekah snarling farther down, hair a riotous explosion of eye-watering fuschia. She could feel the aura of Bonnie's magic surrounding Kol which actually explained a lot.

Quite fed up with their squabbling, she took advantage of Kol's taunting, and flashed the few feet over and to snap his neck. Glancing over at Rebekah's surprised face, she blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"You're welcome."

Rebekah sneered half-heartedly, "I don't need baby vampires to help me fend off my obnoxious brother." Though it was telling that she didn't bother to say anything else, instead hauling her brother off to likely enact some type of vengeance.

A chuckle sounded behind her. Peeking over her shoulder, Caroline spotted Klaus leaning against his doorway. She had yet to see him look so normal, a bit sleep rumbled, his curls tousled. It was a good look on him.

"Ruthless aren't you, sweetheart?"

Pivoting, she strode in his direction, offering a casual shrug as she stood before him. "They were interrupting my sleep." Before he could offer much response she turned again to head toward her room. "So, I'm going to go do that. Bye, Klaus."

* * *

To her dismay, despite her best efforts, she didn't end up falling back asleep. Though she stayed in bed the whole time out of spite.

Once she gave up on going back to sleep, Caroline found herself before the stove, fiddling with the high-end range the Mikaelson's kept in their kitchen. She didn't bother to wonder why they had it, chalking it up to their collective snobbery.

It did make it really easy to cook en masse though, which she took full of advantage of as she whipped up batches of french toast. The kitchen filled with the scents of cinnamon and butter, the sounds of sizzling. It almost disguised the noise of air being displaced behind her, signaling the arrival of a vampire. She didn't bother to turn, which was a mistake as they stepped closer and fiddled with her ponytail, a spark of magic blooming. Caroline mentally cursed.

"Consider this payback, Darlin'," she heard whispered in her ear.

Though she whirled in an instant, Kol had already fled, his cackle left in his wake. She didn't feel any different and she doubted he would risk doing anything serious and face her's, Klaus' _and _Bonnie's wrath.

As she shifted, her hair caught her attention and she realized that Kol was not feeling particularly creative. Grabbing her ponytail and pulling it around she saw, instead of her normal blonde, fire-engine red with bright cyan streaks. _Not _a look she would pick for herself, but she could rock it. She certainly wasn't going to give Kol any satisfaction by being as pissed as Rebekah. Besides, Bonnie would change it back for her if she asked.

* * *

Caroline sat at the kitchen island, indulging in her huge stack of french toast, a spread of syrup, butter, fruits, and other toppings arranged across the table.

"Do you want some, Klaus?" She asked, not bothering to look up.

"...Sweetheart, are you aware…?" He trailed off and she looked up in time to catch his expression and aborted hand gesture toward his own hair. Her lips quirked, she hadn't seen him so tentative before.

"Do you not like it?" She asked, looking back down and taking another bite to hide her growing amusement.

"Ah, it's certainly a statement." He sounded a bit awkward now, surprised by her reaction, and she decided to put him out of his misery.

"Kol did it, retribution for snapping his neck apparently."

"I can kill him for you," Klaus offered as he walked over to sit across from her, his tone casual.

"Thanks, but I can get back at him myself if I want to. But I'm sure nothing will irk him more than no reaction."

Klaus made a little snort of amusement. "I see you already have him figured out, love." Leaning over, he snagged a fork and speared the corner of one of her slices. He took a bite as he eyed her, licking his lips to catch the traces of syrup. "Delicious."

* * *

Klaus' smile faded as Caroline departed from the kitchen. He set his own plate in the dishwasher, examined the area to see if Caroline missed anything in her meticulous cleanup. It was spotless. He tilted his head; Kol was on the third floor.

In an instant, he had Kol pinned to the wall by his throat, pleased by the force of the impact.

"You went after Caroline?" He seethed.

Kol just glowered back, a sneer on his face. "With the magic equivalent of hair dye." A force shoved him away from his brother, who made a show of straightening up off the wall and brushing off his shirt. "For fuck's sake, _Niklaus _, it's not as if I harmed her. I rather like her actually, she's feisty."

Klaus snarled, eyes flashing wolf gold. Kol was correct, not that he would admit it, but it made him uneasy how vulnerable she was. The things his brother could have done. His nostrils flared.

"Just to be clear, if you harm her. I know exactly who I will go after."

Kol's eyes darkened.

"Careful, Nik, you're not the only hybrid in this family anymore." He offered a feral grin. "Besides Bonnie would eviscerate me herself if I went after her _best friend_."

With that reminder, Kol flashed away, leaving Klaus to vent his frustrations alone.

* * *

Caroline's skin prickled and she looked over her shoulder, surprised to find Kol hovering in her doorway.

She raised an eyebrow. "...Can I help you?"

The brunet pursed his lips looking mildly conflicted. He grumbled something under his breath, though it sounded like "bastard, I can't believe I'm doing him a favor".

"You should go find Klaus. Don't say I never did anything for you." Before she could make anything of his odd behavior, Kol sped away. A bit concerned, Caroline decided to heed his confusing advice.

It was instinct that led her toward the third floor and down one of the many hallways. She rounded a few corners, continuing to walk until she reached a closed door. She debated knocking, but figured it wouldn't get her anywhere. Thankfully, the door was unlocked and she slipped inside. And there Klaus sat. A rather dark expression on his face, body so still that even a human would be able to tell something was wrong. His eyes flicked to her the instant she came in, darkening even further before relaxing when he registered it was her.

He made an effort to appear nonchalant, tossing a little smile in her direction. "Caroline, is something wrong?"

Unimpressed, she crossed her arms leaning back against the closed door. "I could ask you the same question. Kol-" She halted, watching as he involuntarily tensed again. Pushing off the door, she walked closer, reaching for his shoulder as she stood beside him. He looked up at her, eyes darting to her hair for a split second and a flash of insight hit her. "You're upset because Kol dyed my hair." Her brow scrunched slightly in confusion.

He suddenly stood, tugging her a bit closer by her hips, until their chests were brushing. He didn't need to breath, but she could feel him doing so anyway, taking in her scent.

"I was without my Wolf for 500 years and it was one of the worst feelings of my existence." She listened to his apparent non sequitur, wondering where he was going with this. "Kol...Kol has been without magic for 1,000. It's a bloody miracle that all he's done is play childish pranks."

Caroline stepped even closer, letting her forehead rest on his shoulder. She could feel his fingers digging into her hip, and she understood now.

They stood together in silence as she felt him settle, reassured by her presence. The solid weight of her body. The familiarity of her scent.

* * *

_September 25, 2014_

Caroline tossed in her bed, feeling restless. The past couple days had been fairly calm once Klaus relaxed. It helped that Kol stopped tossing magic in her direction, harmless pranks and all, a consideration she attributed to Bonnie. So, she wasn't sure what was keeping her up.

While she didn't _need _sleep in the way a human does, she still very much _liked _sleeping and really didn't appreciate her current inability to do so. With a grumble she slid out from beneath her covers and made her way across the hall.

Klaus' door opened the moment she stopped in front of it, the Hybrid standing there with an inquiring expression on his face.

* * *

A little bolt of concern hit him when his ears caught the sound of Caroline approaching his door. Had something happened? Pulling his door open, he examined her face catching traces of sheepishness, but no worry or discomfort.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can't sleep."

"I can see that," he drawled a bit amused, though he opened his door wider to let her pass.

He shut the door behind her as she brushed past him as and turned to settle a hand on her back.

Peering over at him, she asked, "Soo, what were you doing before I interrupted?"

"You could never be an interruption, Caroline." He got a gentle elbow and a muttered "cheesy" for his efforts. Though she also relaxed against his side.

"No, but seriously, if you were in the middle of something I can leave."

He just shook his head and assured her, "It will keep, love."

* * *

Caroline could feel herself relaxing in the face of Klaus easy accommodation of her. A month ago she would have been shocked that the arrogant asshole she had challenged had this other side to him. She eyed him as she remembered that first meeting, now curious about something.

"You know I realized I never asked, since it never really came up while we were butting heads, if you had a soulmark too. I just kinda assumed you did, but our bond has been rather unusual…" _More than you know_, she thought with a flash of guilt.

He looked surprised by the direction of her thoughts. "I do have one, yes."

"...Can I see it?"

"You know there are easier ways to ask me to strip?" He teased.

She just rolled her eyes as he smirked at her. After a moment he turned and pulled his shirt off, revealing black script across his back.

**_I know who you are._**

She hesitated with her fingers hovering over it, not sure when she even moved. He glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Feel free to touch me all you like, sweetheart."

She ignored his blatant innuendo, gently tracing the curve of the letters, recognizing the handwriting as her own. He shivered beneath her fingers, the mark itself also seeming to quiver, feeling alive itself somehow. Jerking her hand back she apologized, "Sorry, did that feel weird?"

His voice was gravel when he answered. "No." He turned, eyes a dark gold. "Not at all." Eyes fell to her chest and lingered where she had shown part of her own mark before. Her throat went dry as his gaze met her's again, a devouring pit in his eyes. He reached for her. "May I?"

She swallowed, slowly pushing down the top of her shirt, the swell of her breasts now clearly visible. Pure electricity ran through her when he made contact. Simultaneously making her feel indescribably _alive _and aroused.

_"Jesus," _she panted.

"You have no idea what it does to me to see my name on your skin."

* * *

_July 27, 1998_

Caroline's tongue stuttered over the odd sounds. Her new friend still sounded weird, but she knew what he was saying now. But repeating his babble was harder.

Her cheeks puffed out as she crossed her arms. Nikulás set his hands on her shoulders and she looked up into his big, blue eyes.

"Svá veeeeel, Karoline?" 1

Grumbling she tried again. "Hei, hve-hversu ferr?"2

His smile was huge. "Allt ágætt, Karoline! En þú?"3

She could feel her own smile growing. "Allt gott, Nikulás."4 Her grin grew even larger. "Now you." She widened her eyes. "Pleeease, Nikulás?"

* * *

Klaus jerked backward, his eyes now dark for an entirely different reason.

"...Well, that's one way to kill the mood," Caroline weakly joked.

* * *

_September 26, 2014_

The next day, Caroline dragged Klaus outside, claiming that she had yet to find the best beignets in NOLA.

"See? Some fresh air does you a world of good, Klaus." She would bet if he were anyone else he would be rolling his eyes at her.

She tensed. Something didn't feel right.

Klaus was suddenly tackling her to the floor, his body covering her's while he cradled her head. Above them glass shattered, a barrage of bullets having hit it. Caroline could smell wood and vervain instead of metal and gunpowder, and her worried eyes met Klaus' furious ones.

In a blur, he had her in his arms and back at the Abattoir, already shouting orders to various minions.

...Well, that certainly didn't go as planned.

Caroline hurried after him, fully prepared to demand that he didn't leave her behind. She was quite capable of defending herself, thank you very much.

* * *

_November 5, 2014_

It hadn't taken long to track down the culprits of the attack, whom Klaus punished with extreme prejudice. Now, she found herself curled up again on Klaus' settee, passing the time admiring his artistic talent. She wondered if he would be willing to teach her? ...Though maybe she would ask when she could draw something a bit better than a stick figure.

* * *

Klaus refused to tense as he watched her slowly flip through his drawings. And he could tell the exact moment she reached the first drawing of her, noted the way she froze as her eyes widened. But she said nothing, biting her lip as she continued her slow perusal of his art. When she reached the final drawing, yet another portrait of her face, she finally looked up.

She didn't appear angry or upset. Surprised perhaps, and he watched as she peered at him from beneath her lashes, something fragile about her expression.

"K-Klaus, these are stunning. Is...is this really how you see me?"

Slowly, he reached over to cup her chin, cradling her face as he tilted it up so she could see the sincerity in his.

"You're a beautiful woman, Caroline. If anything these pictures don't do you justice. They can't capture the light that surrounds you or the ferocity of your spirit."

* * *

Caroline blinked shock and warmth flooding her body. She wasn't sure what she had expected him to say, but it wasn't that. Did he really see her that way? Hell, sometimes _she _didn't even see _herself _that way.

"I- thank you." She managed to stutter out, before she got a hold of herself. "You know I think I understand now when Jeanette called you one of the 'good ones'." His brow furrowed, seeming legitimately a bit upset by her words if she was reading him correctly. "I don't mean you're a good person, Klaus. I think we both know that would be a lie." Perhaps to anyone else that would be an insult, but she didn't mean it as one. Klaus seemed to understand what she was getting at as his brow actually smoothed out. "In fact, you probably have more blood on your hands than anyone I've ever met. Committed enumerable atrocities, few of which that you regret, I bet." She thought she caught a flicker of hurt now, and she hurried to blurt out the rest of her poorly planned speech. "But I already knew all those things, Klaus. I went to _meet _you already aware. It's these parts of you that you've shown me the past couple of weeks that I didn't know. The ones that gave me flowers and took me horseback riding and _saw me_. _And liked what you saw_."

Reaching up, Caroline grasped the hand still pressed against her cheek. She held his gaze, noted that he was the one now taken aback, and pressed a feather-light kiss to the palm of his hand. "You're a handsome man, Klaus. And all the legends that surround your name don't encapsulate all that you are. They don't highlight the devotion you're capable of nor the strength of your heart."

For a moment, the man sat frozen. Just as she was about to lighten the mood and tease him about the fact that Klaus Mikaelson did indeed have a heart, he surged forward. It wasn't the light exploratory kiss from the stables. This one was teeth and heat and passion.

His hand slipped from her face to tangle in her curls, the other wrapping around her back and tugging her closer. Caroline moved with him, her own hands shifting to press them even closer. The kiss stole breath from their dead lungs, their lips puffy despite accelerated healing. Her forehead rested against his as she peered into his eyes, darkened with lust and pupil ringed with gold.

Closing her eyes, Caroline pulled away even as she licked her lips, tasting Klaus on them. Arousal simmered in her gut and she could feel the evidence of it between her thighs.

* * *

_March 13, 2010_

"Karoline is something wrong?"

She blinked, jostled from her thoughts. She twisted to glance up at Nikulás, who was leaning over her, a look of concern on his face.

"No, nothing." She offered him a small apologetic smile. "Sorry, my life has just gotten a bit busier that's all. How is your baby brother?"

Nikulás' face softened as he started to regale her with tales of his youngest sibling, how the entire family doted on him. "His name is Henrik, you would love him, Karoline."

* * *

Caroline stepped back from Klaus, seeing the faint grimace on his face.

"Sorry," she muttered.

He pulled her back to him though he didn't resume their kiss. "_You're_ not the one who should be apologizing, love."

* * *

_November 17, 2014 _

Despite the attack a few weeks ago, the rest of her time had passed with minimal conflict, both from the apparent threat and within the Mikaelson family. Surely, a feat for the ages.

Caroline smirked at the thought, leaning back a bit farther into the plush pillows behind her.

"Something amusing, love? I always found 'Lijah's chronicling to be rather dull."

She glanced up from the journal, a look of faux admonition on her face as she eyed Klaus. "Well first of all, rude, Klaus. I know Elijah can be stuffy, but that's no reason to disparage his writing. _You _may have lived through all this history, but I still find it fascinating." Klaus' skeptical face made her giggle and she conceded. "But okay fine, he doesn't usually make me laugh, I was just thinking about how much more tolerable your siblings have been with Bonnie and Enzo present."

He grinned at her from the doorway, dimples deepening in his cheeks. Speeding over, the Hybrid lifted her from the bed and settled behind her. Her back now pressed to his chest, thighs bracketing her own as his arms wrapped around his waist.

"Now who's being rude, sweetheart?" He teased. "Aren't _you _always the one to claim they're not so bad after all?"

Caroline snorted. "Thanks to Enzo and Bonnie, _duh_. And also in small doses."

"Hm, well no arguments from me."

His voice trailed off as he started pressing little kisses to the sensitive skin of her shoulder and neck.

_"Caroline, get your arse down here! Nik stop trying to get into her pants!" _

"Ignore her," Klaus murmured into her shoulder, adding a hint of teeth.

"Sorry," Caroline said gently, "But your sister _will _just barge in here if I don't come down." Untangling herself from Klaus, Caroline sped around the room picking up her shoes, wallet, and phone before whooshing down the stairs.

* * *

Caroline took another sip of her smoothie, before plopping a chili fry in her mouth. Frankly, being able to eat any and all food as often as she liked without any effect on her body was one of the underrated perks of vampirism.

"You haven't slept with my brother yet." Rebekah's sudden comment cut right through her haze of food induced pleasure, and she jerked to look over at her.

The blonde's hazel eyes were piercing, a mix of contemplation and scrutiny.

"I-I," she stuttered, still caught off guard. A shark's smile cut through the deceptively soft lines of Rebekah's face.

"You've grown on me, Forbes, but make no mistake I'd have you in pieces if Enzo hadn't vouched for you." Rebekah's glare was deadly as she continued. "Nik hasn't fessed up, obviously, but we all know you're his mate. Yet you haven't touched him. Not really. You sleep in his bed, accept his affection while you string him along. _Supposedly_, you have a reason for your unvoiced rejection, it better be good."

Her voice was nearly a snarl by the end and Caroline cringed. Not out of fear, but from guilt. If others had picked up on her avoidance, then surely Klaus had as well. It had never been her intention to make him feel rejected.

Caroline inhaled a steadying breath, making sure her voice was firm when she finally spoke. "Listen, Rebekah, this is frankly none of your business." Anger flashed across the Original's face. _"No_, you're his sister and your concern is understandable, but this is between me and Klaus." Caroline softened as she continued. "But thank you for looking out for him. I-, hurting him was never my intention, and there's more going on here than you know." _But I've also been a coward_, she thought to herself.

* * *

When Caroline finally stumbled back into the room, after a long harrowing day with Rebekah, she froze and blinked in shock, not having expected Klaus to be waiting for her.

"Shouldn't you still be busy plotting?" Although it was true there had been a few more skirmishes recently. It was a pretty feeble attempt at stalling, as she had hoped she would have more time to plan this confrontation.

"I heard you spent the day with my sister, I figured that warranted a break." She looked at him nervously, unable to tell if he knew what she and Rebekah had spoken about. His eyes darkened. Well, that answered that question.

His face was shuttered as he stepped closer, his arms crossed behind her back. This was Klaus gearing up for a fight, guarding his heart. And it sent a lance of pain to her gut as she realized that she had pushed him to this state.

"I have done my best to not _jump to conclusions_, Caroline. So, care to tell me what's going on?"

She slumped against the door, hearing it shut with a quiet click behind her.

With agonizingly slow steps, Caroline moved closer. He didn't move away, and though she stopped a mere foot from him, their distance never felt farther. She placed a hand against his cheek, felt the bristles of his stubble against her skin.

"It would be easier to show you. May I?" Her request was a hoarse whisper, one she expected him to deny.

It shook her when she felt his mental barriers shift, a gap appearing to allow her in.

* * *

_November 10, 2014_

Caroline watched in stunned horror as Nikulás braced against a log, frame tense and rigid. His lip bled from where he bit through it to muffle his reaction.

She jerked as another whistle split the air, cried out as another red line split the skin of his back with a harsh thwack, one of dozens criss-crossing his skin. Her gaze shifted to the man that loomed behind him. Their face grizzled and severe, not an ounce of sympathy to be seen. Instead there was only malice and some cruel, twisted pleasure.

"You never learn, do you, _boy_?" The man sneered, the only consolation that he finally tossed the whip aside.

Nikulás' eyes were blazing with pain and rage though his face remained turned away from his tormentor.

His voice was stone when he replied. "I apologize, Father."

* * *

Caroline woke with a gasp, feeling the tears that had escaped in her sleep. It had been years since she first had that dream, when she fully realized how much of her mate's life she had inadvertently witnessed.

To experience it again, as if it were the first time, while she slept in Klaus' bed. It felt like a betrayal.

She jerked when a hand landed on her arm.

"Caroline?" He sounded alert and concerned and it was too much. She tore herself away and fled, muttering a quick apology as all but ran from the room.

* * *

His grip on her wrist was painful, yet even now he didn't break the bone. She didn't try to retreat, anxiously waiting for his response.

"When did you first have that dream?" His voice and expression were both still blank and cold, utterly closed to her.

Her exhale trembled as it left her. "Seventeen."

"And when they started?"

"I was born with them. My parents got a witch to reduce the connection when I was 3, but it only made them less frequent, prevented me from experiencing them as if I were you. We still dream shared until I became a vampire though I got the same witch to fully block the other dreams after…"

"I see." The lack of reaction was actually worse. She expected him to fight with her, at least then she would know he cared. He peeled her hand from his face.

And then he left.

* * *

_November 17, 2013_

"Are you sure about this, Caroline?"

The young woman nodded, blue eyes blazing with determination and ferocity.

"I am." Her voice didn't waver, though her eyes softened, as she regarded the witch before her. "Thank you for doing this, Shelia. I know how hard it must be for you."

The older woman gave a bitter smile, two parts regret and one part forgiveness. "I hesitated once with you. Not again." The corners of the woman's smile softened, her whole expression becoming a bit more pleasant. "Besides, after everything you've done for Bonnie, knowing the kind of woman you are…" She shook her head, a tinge of ruefulness in the gesture. "It's not such a hardship to do this for you."

Caroline reached out a hand to squeeze Sheila's. "Still._Thank you_."

* * *

Who knew it would only take a year for her to regret what she had set into motion. She frowned, admonishing herself for such thoughts.

She wasn't just going to give up, she fully intended to fight for Klaus, hopefully return them to a place where they could at least be friends. Eternity was a long time after all, and it had taken him a thousand years to meet his soul's mate in person.

She could easily spend just as long making sure he _knew, _beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the wait was worth it. If not as his romantic partner, then as his most loyal friend.

_However long it takes. _

* * *

_November 21, 2014_

"Niklaus." Elijah's voice was tinged with disapproval.

Klaus cast a baleful glare in his brother's direction, not in the mood for one of his lecture. Elijah softened, a disgusting spark of pity in eyes.

"Are you truly going to allow her to be ignorant?"

His lips pursed as his eyes darted around the room. Finn and Sage had returned and lingered in the corner of the room, the ease of long-standing companionship apparent in their comfortable mingling of personal space. Freya and Keelin were pretending not to be listening as they went over backup plans. Kol made direct eye contact, his eyebrows quirked and his arm thrown around the Bennett witch. Judging by her unimpressed glower _she _would tell Caroline regardless of what he said. And Enzo and Rebekah were similarly intertwined. Enzo looked a bit more sympathetic, but he knew he would likely go to Caroline as well. Even Katerina was smirking with amused intrigue as she lurked at Elijah's back.

"I'll speak with her later," he growled, daring anyone else to bring it up again.

* * *

_Knock Knock Knock_

Caroline sat up from where she had been lying in bed. She knew who was at the door.

"Come in."

Klaus slipped in like a shadow.

"This is me telling you to run, Caroline." There was no expression on his face, and he seemed ready to leave it at that. Which pissed her off. If he though she would meekly obey him, then he didn't know her at all.

Her bark of laughter was caustic. "I get it, you're still furious with me. Fine. But you're out of your mind if you think I'll leave my friends behind when there's danger here." Caroline sped over to where he stood, glaring into his eyes. "And maybe you think it was all lies, but I care about you too. Even if my friends weren't here I would have had no intention of leaving _you _behind either."

Something flickered on his face, but he hid it away before she could make out what it was. "And what use would you even be? A mere baby vampire. Enzo is from Augustine and at least has a century. Bonnie is a witch with the strength of an Original. You? You're just shy of useless."

His words _hurt _as she knew they were intended to. But if he meant to drive her away, then he was wasting his time. She lifted her chin in defiance.

_"Please_, Klaus," she scoffed. "I fought vampires as a human. Hell, I fought _you _if you don't recall. Of course our powers aren't equal, but don't pretend like I'm incapable of fighting."

He looked away. "Suit yourself..."

* * *

_November 23, 2014_

Caroline didn't know what she was thinking, perhaps she wasn't. All she knew was that when she spun to face another opponent, dropping the heart in her hand, in the corner of her eyes, through the whipping of her curls a blur caught her eye.

A white oak stake was perilously close to Klaus' unprotected back, his own focus on Mikael bearing down on him from the front.

In a split second, Caroline was across the courtyard, even vampire speed almost not enough.

* * *

She had never been staked through the heart of course. The wood burned as it pierced through her flesh, far more agonizing than it had the right to be. She could feel her scream choked by blood and a lack of air in her throat.

Something like muffled screams and heat washed over her from behind before there was only darkness.

* * *

_November 21, 2014_

Klaus felt the immediate rush of fear, even after all these centuries, knew his face would be ashen if he were human.

"That's impossible," he snarled.

His prisoner had the gall to smirk up at him, even through the blood that caked his face. "Afraid not, Daddy's home!"

The man continued to cackle until Klaus roared in rage and ripped his head off in a shower of blood. He launched the still gleeful countenance, frozen in death, at the dungeon wall where it splattered in an explosion of bone, blood, and brain matter.

"It's impossible," he panted.

Elijah appeared behind him, expression grim. "If the witch tampering with your bond is indeed Esther, then we must consider that she orchestrated his resurrection as well." His brother approached where he still stood hunched over, fists tightly clenched. "We are with you brother." As he spoke, Klaus could hear the displacement of air that signaled the arrival of his other siblings. "Together, we can ensure that neither Mikael nor Esther pose a threat to this family again."

* * *

_November 23, 2014_

Caroline was right, she was indeed a very capable fighter, flashing across the battlefield as a destructive whirlwind. But his attention was pulled away as Mikael stepped from the shadows. He burned his fear into rage, donning the familiar arrogant superiority of The Original Hybrid.

"Back for round two, old man? What makes you think it will go any better than the first?"

Klaus had to dodge, a bit more hastily than he would like, when Mikael immediately went on the offensive, none of his familiar taunting present. He could feel himself getting pushed back, and he hid his rising fear.

"What's wrong, _boy_? It seems you're incapable of actually fighting me. Last time, you merely stabbed me as I lied desiccated like the _coward _you are."

Klaus snarled, his next hit pushing Mikael back a few feet. "Who are you to talk of cowardice, when you hide behind your minions and witches until the last second?"

Rather than lunging back into the fight as Klaus expected, a sadistic smirk crossed the man's face as he peered over Klaus' shoulder. Sensing movement at his back, Klaus chanced a look, eyes widening in horror as a stake pierced the woman now behind him. A Blonde.

_"CAROLINE!" _

At the same time, images crashed through his brain staggering him where he stood. Flashes of all the pieces of his life Caroline had seen, snippets of her own life that he had not been privy to. Somehow he managed to rip the stake from her chest and bury it in Mikael's. Whose burning corpse he didn't even bother to watch fall.

He gathered Caroline in his arms and sped from the battlefield, mind still bombarded with memories. He saw for himself how she had indeed cut the connection after witnessing one of his beatings. He saw how she feared his reaction for days and struggled with how to tell him. He saw how he confirmed all her fears and yet she still stayed to fight for him.

Half-blinded by the visions he somehow managed to set Caroline down on his bed. Where he stared with blurring vision at the grey veins that distorted her skin.

"Caroline, I'm sorry, please, don't go." It was bitter on his tongue how the apology he once struggled with now came so easily.

* * *

_November 17, 2013_

Sheila glanced up at the full moon over head.

"Are you ready, child?"

Caroline nodded her eyes blazing.

"I'm ready."

The blonde tipped back the bowl she was holding, drinking deeply from its contents. Around her, wind whipped as the Bennett witch chanted.

She called upon the Sun for power. The Earth for constancy. The Blood for life.

With solemn eyes the witch turned to Caroline and handed her an athame. The blonde breathed her last necessary breath before plunging the blade into her chest.

* * *

Klaus shuddered as the vision past, hope now blossoming in his chest. He hovered over her, brushing blonde hair behind her ear. A smile near splitting his face as he could see the veins receding.

"You clever, clever girl. You're an Original."

* * *

Returning to life felt much the same it had after she turned. Every sensation came back at once, the world a sensory explosion of vibrancy. Last time it had been Sheila who kept vigil, waiting with more blood in hand to complete the transition.

This time it was Klaus. Klaus who was clutching her tightly in his arms, smoothing back her hair.

"Klaus," she croaked, throat desert dry.

"Shh," he hushed. Gently, he turned her face into his neck. "Drink, Caroline."

She drank and then she slept.

And then she dreamed.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, a very familiar clearing filled her gaze. A clearing she hadn't seen in over a year now. Though it seemed far longer than that.

It didn't surprise her though when arms wound around her stomach, pulling her back into a familiar chest. She shifted and pressed her lips to the spot her fangs had pierced not long ago. Glancing up, she was met with the face of the thousand-year-old Original Hybrid for the first time in this place.

"Hello, Nikulás."

He pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Hello, Karoline."

As he drew back his arms tightened around her, as if he was afraid she would vanish if he let her go.

"Nikulás, I-" She started, tone now laced with apology, but he just shook his head and hushed her.

"No, Karoline, I'm the one who should apologize." His arms loosened a bit as he prompted her to turn around, the two of them now face to face as she straddled his lap. He brought a hand up to touch her cheek, an affectionate gesture he hadn't used in a while. She leaned into his touch, eyes falling to half-mast. "I am sorry, Karoline, for shutting you out. For confirming the fears that led you to hesitate in coming to me."

She could be angry at him for turning his back on her as they had once fought about. But just like then, she knew that in many ways they had turned their backs on each other. Both of them guilty for different reasons. God, they were mates and yet they had really cocked it up, hadn't they?

"And I am sorry as well, Nikulás. I had my reasons, but they don't excuse the hurt I inadvertently caused you. I _never_ wanted that. Never," she declared, voice fierce. "Now, I think it's time for me to wake up. There are some things better done while awake."

* * *

It was a bit disorienting to open her eyes and be facing the opposite direction, her back once more to Nikulás' chest. She swiftly turned, needing to look him in the eye. Slowly, she brought her right palm to her mouth, breaking the skin with a fang.

"I can't promise that you will always be happy. That's impossible, but I give you my word that I will never betray you. I will be your constant companion, your lover, your friend. For the rest of my eternity."

She watched as his eyes widened, and if she were human her heart would be pounding. It felt like an eon before he too moved to slice open his palm, but he did. Taking her hand in his, he laced their fingers together, their blood mingling.

"I cannot promise you that I won't make mistakes. However, you have my word that I will never turn my back on you. I will be your sword and your shield if you falter, your mate, your partner. For the rest of my eternity."

Hands still clasped, the two leaned closer, movements seeming perfectly synchronized. Their lips met. Gently at first, a tentative re-exploration, before it grew firming adding tongue and teeth. Caroline pulled back for a moment, staring into Nikulás' bright golden eyes streaked through with tiny slivers of blue.

No visions. No reminders of what has passed.

Only what was here. The present. And the future.

* * *

**1\. Old Norse: Pleeease, Karoline?**  
**2\. Old Norse: Hi, H-how are you?**  
**3\. Old Norse: Awesome, Karoline! And you?**  
**4\. Old Norse: Good, Nikulas.**


End file.
